Steal-A-Heart
by NavyBlueWings
Summary: Every year around Valentine's day, Magnolia High School holds an event called 'Steal-A-Heart Day'. Normally, Lucy and Natsu hardly play along. But what if this year, Levy makes up a bet that Natsu refuses to lose? And what if this bet causes more problems than anyone, especially Lucy, can anticipate? NaLu and Gruvia main, with GaLe and Jerza. Citrus warning for future chapters!
1. Heart of the Matter

**Hello everyone! So while my wonderful Gopher is working her beta magic, I decided to put out a story that I started a while ago. It should only have three chapters, but I figured it'd be a nice distraction for those who are waiting on "The Astrologist". So please, enjoy my inventive mind!**

**Disclaimer: Yeah, these characters? Totally not mine. **

**Warning: Eventually, there will be some citrus goodness. Of what kind, I'm not exactly positive on…guess we'll have to see how it turns out! **

**Chapter One: The Heart of the Matter**

"Are you going to get him a flower or not?" Lucy paused just shy of the hallway, not wanting to walk into a private conversation. Peeking her head around the corner, Lucy blinked when seeing two familiar faces leaned against the lockers. A flushing Bisca twirled green strands around her finger, avoiding eye contact with the class president. With vibrant red hair and a toned body, Erza Scarlet peered over thick-rimmed glasses with a scowl. "Class will start soon; you need to decide before lunch is over."

"Do you think he even likes me?" It was a question that was whispered throughout the Magnolia hallways every time February came around.

"You want to know if Alzack likes you?" Instantly Bisca waved her hands in front of Erza, trying to quiet her loud friend.

"Don't say his name out loud! It's supposed to be a secret." A secret? Lucy had to hold back a snicker, knowing it would blow her cover. Alzack and Bisca were anything but discrete about their feelings. Any class Lucy had with the two, she watched them sneak glances at each other in unspoken adoration. They were partners for every project, and rarely were seen without the other by their side. Sure, they had yet to openly admit their feelings for the other; but everyone knew what they were hiding. The two had only been dancing around the subject since freshman year.

"If you send him a flower, you will have to sign it. Your intentions will be quite obvious." Not being one who dabbled in much romance, Erza remained stern despite her friend's embarrassed expression. "This is the last day to buy flowers, you know."

"You're right. It's the last year I can send him a flower, so I should…I should…I-I just don't know!" Bisca's loud cry rang through the hall before she ran off, Lucy pressing against the lockers to avoid the panicking girl slamming into her. She watched Bisca's disappearing form, shaking her head before entering the once occupied hallway. She sent a friendly wave to the president, smiling to hide her previous snooping.

"Hey, Erza."

"Ah, Lucy. It's a pleasure to see you," greeted the red head, watching her friend unlock her locker. Lucy dumped the books she no longer needed into the top shelf, gathering the history book she'd need after lunch. "I'm sure you studied for the history quiz we're having after lunch?"

"Well I tried to. Natsu asked to come over and study, but he was more of a distraction than a help. We got into a fight about the validity of the movie 'Troy'. He kept saying that it was exactly like the Iliad. Natsu then made me watch it to prove he was right, which he wasn't. We ended up passing out on the couch and I completely forgot about the quiz."

"But the information you were supposed to study was about World War two; why were you talking about the Iliad?" At Erza's question, Lucy sighed and dropped her head.

"It's Natsu, remember? Nothing really makes sense when he's involved."

"I'll have to have a serious talk with him after school about affecting your grades with his distractions. He should know studying is more important now that you're both seniors." Because Erza hadn't had this talk with Natsu eight times before. This was a reoccurring conversation between Erza and Natsu, the latter always brushing off Erza's warning. Natsu had already told Lucy he wasn't planning on going to college, more comfortable with a laborious job. He wasn't the valedictorian, that was for sure. Still, there was something charming about Natsu that Lucy couldn't help but feel compelled to be around. Maybe that was why Lucy always let Natsu come and distract her from her studies.

Maybe it was something else.

"I wasn't trying to listen in, but I overheard your conversation with Bisca. What's got her so troubled?"

"We're holding our annual flower sale for the senior class. We let you buy a flower and write your name on them. If you want, there's an area for a message too. On Valentine's Day, we deliver them throughout the classes. It's one of our better fundraisers, and the students seem to enjoy receiving gifts throughout the day. I was trying to convince Bisca to send a flower to Alzack. Since Valentine's Day is only two days away, we stop selling them so we can order them in time."

"Any particular reason you're focusing on her? We all know she's pretty shy."

"I'm simply looking to raise as much money as I can for the class. I'm hoping you've participated in the event?" Lucy nodded while the two walked toward the lunch room, the blond adjusting the books in her hands.

"I sent one to Levy and Juvia." The two managed to squeeze their way through the groups of people next to the cafeteria door, Lucy dropping her books onto their unofficial table. Even without designated seating, Lucy's friends always sat at the same table. She had seen both Levy and Gray in the lunch line, though Natsu was nowhere to be seen. Deciding she'd rather wait for the line to shrink before going to get food, Lucy sat down. "How about you? You buy anyone flowers?"

"I focused on class council. Most of them are single, and I wanted to thank them for their hard work this week. Having them prepare the 'steal-a-heart' competition as well as flower arrangements have been a lot of work. They deserve a little recognition."

"I forgot about that contest! When does that start?" Lucy asked, excitement fluttering in her stomach. Every year, the high school would host the 'steal-a-heart' event. At the beginning of the school day, girls would be passed a pink heart in the first period of class. They were allowed to write their names on it, decorate it, and make it uniquely theirs. While wearing the hearts pinned to their shirts, the girls are not allowed to speak to any male for the rest of the day. If she slips up, she has to give her "heart" to the guy, who would then pin it to himself until the last bell rang. Some girls held out all day, while others were more than willing to hand their hearts to their potential others. Popular girls, like Mirajane Strauss or Levy McGarden, tended to have several boys fighting over getting their heart. But it was the girls who were secretly pining for someone that made the day interesting. If a guy liked a girl, he did everything he could to steal her heart. If a girl had a secret crush, she tended to hang around him during most of the day. Those were the people Lucy liked to watch.

"We're doing it the day before Valentine's Day this year. I hope that you'll be participating."

"I do every year, right? I've never made it through the whole day with my heart, though," Lucy said, ignoring the skip in her heartbeat.

"It must be difficult when your best friend is a guy," Ezra replied, nodding in understanding.

"Especially Natsu." Lucy jumped when a tray was dropped next to her, Levy's sweet giggle showing her enjoyment of scaring her friend. "Doesn't he always try to get your heart as soon as they hand it out?"

"You have no idea." It was no secret that her best friend was loud and more than enough to give the average person a headache. The pink-haired guy hated the game, complaining about Lucy not being able to talk to him. Because of it he would always annoy her the moment she got her heart. Whether it was talking about something embarrassing, or poking her throughout every class they had, Natsu would always think of new ways to get her to talk. The annoyance only stopped once Lucy yelled at him and lost her heart. It was the same every year, and she doubted little would change this time around.

"At least you don't have class with him until the last block this year. If you avoid him in the hallways, you're only real challenge would be lunch." Levy was right about that one. This was the first time that the two only had one class together. Though Lucy was doubtful, there was a chance she'd keep her heart for the whole day.

"Do you think Gajeel will go after your heart, Levy?" At Erza's question, Levy scowled.

"No way! He's been doing his normal complaining about Valentine's Day since the first day of February. Last year he did nothing, and this year he's not either. He's already told me twice that he doesn't participate in the 'stupid holiday for women'." Lucy laughed at Levy's impression of their friend. Gajeel Redfox was not known for being soft and fuzzy, even with the object of his desire. Levy had managed to convince him on the occasional date, and there were times that Levy admitted to letting Gajeel into her bedroom. Yet both teenagers refused to declare they were officially dating. They had been going on with this charade for two years now.

"He's not the only one who dislikes this holiday." A new voice entered the conversation, much deeper than the other three. Gray sat next to Erza, a loud sigh showing his annoyance with the conversation. "I'm not looking forward to it either."

"Oh, not you too!" Lucy said, frowning at the nod he sent her.

"Don't get me wrong, I admire the notion of showing the people you love your true feelings for them. Valentine's day is great for people in relationships."

"A pretty mature answer coming from a teenage boy," Erza said, complimenting her friend. It really wasn't surprising to Lucy. Gray had an old air about him that made him stand out from the other guys she hung out with. It made Gray pretty charming, and explained his popularity with her peers.

"Alright, so then what's with the look of dread on your face?" Lucy asked.

"This is the time of year I tend to get the most admissions of love; I dislike hurting people. And then there's Juvia…" He trailed off before glancing around the lunch, as if seeking out the blue-haired woman in question. Once seeing he was safe to speak freely, Gray returned his attention back to the conversation. "Juvia has a tendency to get extremely forward this time of year. Her confessions increase, as well as the random acts of love she uses to express her feelings for me. It's a little more than embarrassing."

"And whose fault is that?" Gray straightened his spine while glancing to Erza, who sent him a disproving glare. "Juvia wouldn't be so attached if you hadn't sent her that drunk voicemail—"

"I already told you it was a mistake." Gray rubbed the back of his neck, discomfort evident in the hunching of his shoulders. Lucy, despite knowing it really was Gray's fault, felt for both of her friends. Juvia Lockser had been head over heels for Gray since the moment they met freshman year. It was a pretty big crush that looked almost hopeless going in junior year. Gray had only allowed a friendship between the two, despite the chemistry that Lucy and her other friends noticed. Toward Christmas time junior year, Juvia had started to doubt her feelings for her prince charming. It was enough for her to agree to a date with Lyon Vastia, a close friend of Gray's. Despite saying he lacked any feeling toward the situation, Gray had Natsu and Gajeel come over the night of the date. When Gajeel revealed a pack of beer to "drown their problems", the three drank themselves into a drunken stupor by the end of the night. Natsu, the lightweight of the three, passed out instantly. Gajeel was more interested in lying in the snow than watching Gray. With no voice of reason to keep his feelings in check, Gray dialed the first number on his favorite's list; Juvia. Distracted by Lyon's conversation at the table, Juvia didn't feel her phone vibrating in her purse. When she didn't pick up, Gray decided to leave a voicemail. To this day, Juvia still had it saved to her phone.

For Gray, it was a mistake he couldn't quite admit was a mistake to begin with. For Juvia, it extinguished any worry that Gray wasn't the man she was meant to end up with. It was only the matter of 'when'.

"I don't know; the drunken brain speaks a sober heart," Lucy teased, enjoying the slight irritation on his face.

"Can we just drop the topic? I get enough of this from Natsu."

"Speaking of Natsu, have you seen him today?"

"Last time I saw him, he was getting an earful from our basketball coach for nearly failing off the team." Lucy groaned and smacked her forehead, the statement all too familiar.

"Which class this time?"

"From Natsu saying he didn't care about Shakespeare's "Omlet", I'd guess English." Gray's dry response had Lucy groaning. Leave it to Natsu to mix Shakespeare's greatest work with a breakfast choice. He probably would have paid more attention if the play was about food.

"That…idiot…" Lucy glanced over to Erza's shaking form, yelping when Erza slammed her fists onto the table. The class president pushed her glasses up on her nose before rising from her seat. Both Lucy and Levy shrunk away from Erza's deadly aura. For a second, Lucy swore she saw the red strands lift to float around the angered woman. Despite all obvious signs of distress, Erza's voice remained calm. "First he tampers with Lucy's studying, then nearly fails English? Looks like Natsu and I will have a talk about the importance of schooling. If you'll excuse me, I'll go find our misguided friend."

"Don't break anything, Erza. We need him in one piece for the basketball game." Despite the warning, Gray kept his shoulders relaxed while sipping some tea. He didn't seem nearly as concerned as the two girls left at the table. The bookworm and writer exchanged nervous glances when Erza stormed out of the cafeteria, hunting down their clueless friend.

"You think she'll go easy on him?" Levy's question was answered instantly when Erza tore the door open, nearly ripping it off its hinges. Lucy winced, already feeling sorry for her best friend.

"Not a chance."

* * *

"Is that the last quiz?" While the teacher looked around the room, Lucy dropped her head to her desk and sighed. This definitely wasn't going to be her best grade in the class. She glanced over to Natsu, who seemed carefree while flicking paper footballs toward Gray's desk. How did he _do _that? Lucy lifted her head slowly when hearing the teacher speak again. "Since Valentine's Day is a few days away, I figured I'd take today's extra class to talk about the history of the misleading holiday. Get into groups of four, and each group will work on a famous myth about Valentine's Day."

"Juvia and Erza want to know if you wanna make a group, Lu-chan?" Lucy sent a smile toward Levy, knowing her group wouldn't be hard to make. They tended to stay with the same group for assignments. Even though she had plenty of friends in the class, working with the three girls promised the assignment would get done. None of them were slackers, something she couldn't promise with her other classmates.

"So long as you're ready to de-bunk some myths," Lucy said. Levy let out a quiet sigh, indicating something was amiss. Lucy scowled as Erza and Juvia joined the conversation. "Something wrong, Levy?"

"Don't you feel like this kind of ruins the holiday? I'm all for facts, but there's something special about Valentine's Day."

"That's an interesting point of view, especially since Gajeel dislikes the holiday." Erza's statement made Levy sigh again, shaking her head.

"Trust me, it confuses me too. Gajeel aside, the holiday shouldn't be dissected like this."

"Juvia also disagrees with this assignment." Juvia Lockser was nothing if not a romantic, and it was obvious that the February holiday would hold special value to her. Her pretty face was marred by a heavy frown, her blue eyes showing obvious displeasure.

"You guys don't find it interesting to discover the origins of things? And not all of the stories are so bad; look at this one." Lucy turned the book she was reading, pointing to a picture on the bottom. "You see this guy? His name was Saint Valentine. Legend says that he was imprisoned for performing weddings for soldiers that couldn't get married. Then, while he was in jail, he healed his jailer's daughter. The two fell in love, and on the day of his execution, he wrote her a farewell letter. He signed it "from your Valentine", which is where they got the name for the holiday. And to this day, we sign our love letters on Valentine's Day with that same saying!"

"But didn't he die in the end?"At Levy's question, Lucy waved her hand and shut the book.

"You're missing the point. Even if some of these stories aren't real or have sad endings, their message is the same. The holiday is about love, and telling those that you do love about your feelings. Isn't that better than believing in some baby with an archery bow?"

"Isn't that a little contradictory, coming from you?" Lucy didn't have time to respond to Erza's question, a loud smash being heard across the room. The group of girls glanced up, Lucy groaning when seeing the two boys involved in the fight.

"Natsu Dragneel and Gray Fullbuster, sit down right now." The teacher, who had seen this same scenario unfold nearly every week, pressed his knuckles to his forehead to calm the pulsing vein just under the skin. The two boys ignored him, Natsu growling as he slammed his fist into his open palm.

"You want to fight, pretty boy?" Gray scoffed at the insult, not noticing his shirt flying to the chair behind him.

"Can I even call it a fight when it's with you?" Flashing a cocky smile had most of the girls in the room swooning. Lucy leaned her head in her hands, not surprised by the reactions. Gray was extremely attractive, and caught the eye of many girls in the school. It didn't help that he tended to lose his shirt every day. Even though he got several confessions from all types of girls in the school, never once did he entertain the thought of dating one. He always made sure they knew he did not have feelings for them, disliking the idea of leading anyone on.

"Juvia is _not _happy." Except one, that is. Lucy didn't have to look over her shoulder to know the murderous glare that Juvia was giving the other girls in the class. Juvia was very territorial of Gray, even though she knew he turned down every admission. She was almost surprised that Juvia allowed the girls in the group to talk to him. Silently Lucy laughed, remembering that it wasn't always that way. At first, Juvia had extreme resentment of any girl who talked to Gray. That slowly changed once the years started to pass. Erza reassured Juvia that she had a very platonic relationship with Gray, seeing him as a brother and nothing else. Juvia relaxed even more when Levy started to hang around Gajeel, showing her heart solely belonged to the big guy. And with Lucy…

Juvia was still working on that.

"Excuse me, girls. I have to go take care of some…pests." Erza was out of her seat, cracking her knuckles while heading toward the fighting teens. Though the two talked big, Natsu and Gray never really hit each other. Most of the time, they would just exchange insults and get worked up until Erza came along and knocked some sense into them. It was the same routine every week. Lucy laughed about what she knew was to come, her eyes glancing over to Natsu in slight concern.

Juvia had lost some of her glower when Lucy informed her that her heart was already swept up by another guy. For a reason she couldn't quite explain, Lucy was head over heels for her best friend. It had been gradual, slow enough for Lucy not to notice. Their first week of freshman year, Lucy had been getting harassed by a junior by the name of Bora. Natsu, whom she had never talked to before, stepped in and punched the kid in the nose. Too embarrassed to report himself getting beat up by a freshman, Bora ran off and never bothered Lucy again. In gratitude, Lucy paid for Natsu's lunch and sat next to him in any class they had together. It didn't take long for the two to become best friends, spending most of their days together.

Freshman and sophomore year, Lucy had passed her feelings off as a mini crush. He was extremely attractive, and his smile was quite intoxicating. He had girls comment about his looks many times, though he was always too distracted with fighting Gray and avoiding Erza to notice. He had a lot of friends, being popular without realizing it. Even still, Natsu always seemed to pop up next to Lucy's side. Lucy assumed her feelings the first two years were just growing because of the deepening of their friendship. But the summer before the two entered junior year, all of that changed.

One week after school ended, her mother died. In the years she needed her mother the most, a deadly virus had swiftly ended her mother's life. Lucy and her father were left with little answers and even less comfort, both devastated by her young mother's death. Though many of her friends had been supportive, none stood out more than Natsu. He hardly left her alone, annoying her enough to make her forget the hole in her heart. He constantly kept contact, and would climb into her bedroom window any time he got the "feeling" she was lonely. That "feeling" was always right. Any time she would break down, Natsu would be there. So it came to no surprise to her that the two were laying in a field outside of Magnolia the last day of summer vacation. They tended to spend a lot of time in the field that summer, Natsu claiming it was his "place of thought". He would take her there on days he knew the day had been really tough on her. That particular day was her mother's birthday.

She couldn't remember why the two got onto the topic of kissing. She was sure it had something to do with the rumor that Levy and Gajeel were caught making out in Gajeel's car after the group had gone bowling. Natsu had been upset that Gajeel got his first kiss before him, something that surprised Lucy. For a guy who never seemed to care about girls, he had been extremely bent out of shape by the idea. Lucy had told him about the girls who were interested in him (why she kept a mental note of that, she still wasn't sure), but Natsu refused to kiss someone he didn't connect to. She stared up at the night sky, continuing to name the girls while Natsu only repeated 'no'.

Without warning, Lucy flashed back to a memory of her mother. It had been after the homecoming dance, where Lucy had forced Natsu to dance with her for the last song of the night. After replaying the night to her mother, Layla teased Lucy about her special relationship with Natsu. It embarrassed Lucy enough to leave the room, though the comment wasn't out of the ordinary. It used to annoy her how her mother constantly asked about Natsu, always having a soft spot for the rambunctious teen. Layla made it obvious who she'd prefer to see her daughter hang around, and Natsu was on the top of her list. Whenever Lucy would ask why, Layla always said that Natsu would always be by her daughter's side, no matter what. Even after her death, Lucy's mother knew best.

With the bittersweet memory pushing logic into the wind, Lucy offered to exchange first kisses with him. It was half joking, half serious, Lucy holding her breath in anticipation. She wasn't quite sure what surprised her more; how much she enjoyed the idea of testing her mother's theory, or how easily Natsu took her up on it. The sky she had once been looking at was blocked by Natsu's head, the unusually calm teen leaning over her. Her eyes went wide at his cheeky smile, Natsu nervously mumbling something about 'trying his best' before kissing her. Lucy was quick to close her eyes, her heart trying to burst out of her ribcage at the gentle way his fingertips brushed against her cheek. Letting reason drop off the face of earth, Lucy had kissed Natsu back, the two not breaking away for several minutes. What she was sure was meant to be one kiss turned into two, and then a few more than that. The kisses were small and inexperienced, but Lucy didn't care. It was enough to make Lucy realize she loved Natsu.

Natsu's phone vibrating against her thigh ended the experiment quickly. Panicking from her revelation, Lucy used the phone call as an excuse to leave much earlier than she had intended. The next day, neither brought up the night's events. In fact, they never talked about it again. Though she knew her feelings for Natsu were no longer just a crush, Lucy didn't tell Natsu. She was happy being his best friend, and she didn't intend to lose that. The only people she told were Juvia, Levy, and Erza, though she was positive others knew by now. She didn't mind, so long as nobody told Natsu. At some point she knew she'd have to confess, but she wasn't ready to let go of him yet.

"Lucy!" Lucy snapped herself out of her daydream when hearing Erza's loud voice. She stood from her chair to show she was listening, though regretted it a second later. A heavy body slammed into her, the two quickly stumbling into the wall behind her. She groaned when her head smashed into the wall, momentarily making her lose focus. She closed her eyes and pressed her hand to the back of her head, though was shocked to find a hand already there.

"Shit! Luce, are you okay?" Forcing her eyes open, Lucy looked up and brushed her nose against the guy who had previously filled her thoughts.

"Na-Natsu!" Lucy squeaked when he pulled her to him, making her press her forehead to his shoulder. Without permission her cheeks flushed, Lucy trying to speak. "W-What are yo-you—"

"Hold on, I've got to check you out. If you're hurt, Erza will have my head." Lucy winced when his fingers pressed on the sensitive spot, but she remained quiet. Honestly, she couldn't say she minded being cradled in Natsu's embrace like this. He was always doing things like this, never once thinking of the intimacy behind it. Any other guy would give her the suspicion that they enjoyed her busty chest pressed into their own, but Lucy knew that Natsu didn't like her for that. Part of her was ecstatic that Natsu saw the girl in the inside, while the other side wondered if he would ever notice her outside as well.

"Great going, idiot." Lucy slowly turned her head on Natsu's shoulder, seeing Gray roll his eyes while crouching down. The two linked eyes, Gray sending her a sympathetic look. "You okay, Lucy? Natsu hit you pretty hard."

"I'm okay," Lucy mumbled, feeling Natsu's hand guide her head up slowly. She glanced over Gray's shoulder, seeing Erza talking to the teacher. Her guess was to keep Natsu and Gray out of suspension, something that Erza did quite often. Most teachers allowed it, understanding her 'punishment' was much more fitting than giving the two boys a vacation from school. "You two want to tell me why you were fighting this time?"

"Natsu was bitching about steal-a-heart day, again. I finally told him that he's just mad because no girl would willingly give him their hearts."

"Which isn't true! I get more hearts than you do!" Natsu shouted, Lucy wincing from the loudness.

"Funny, the only heart I ever see you with is Lucy's." The blunt statement made Lucy cough, Natsu's hand dropping to rub her back. Realizing she was still in Natsu's arms, Lucy quickly pushed off the floor and brushed her shirt off.

"You couldn't think of another way you two could solve this fight?" At Lucy's question, both men glared to each other, then looked away.

"Not with this bonehead."

"No fucking way!"

"But I have one." An excited tone grabbed Lucy's attention, the blonde glancing to Levy's smiling face. "A way that the two of you can settle this once and for all."

"I'm all ears," Gray said, Levy nodding once.

"You could always have a competition. You know, to see who can gather the most hearts. You start at the beginning of the day, and then meet up in the cafeteria after school. Count up all the hearts, and then whoever has the most gets bragging rights." Levy's competition made sense, though Lucy felt the strong urge to disagree. Did she really want Natsu parading around with other people's hearts? The answer was obvious to herself, but she'd never voice her concerns. Maybe he'd refuse because of his hatred of steal-a-heart day? He always complained about this school event, but Lucy knew Natsu better than anyone else. A challenge like this was impossible for him to ignore.

"You're going to eat your words, Gray." And just like that, Lucy's fears were confirmed. The two boys shook hands, both sending the other a confident smirk.

"You sure about that? Confident enough to make a bet?" Gray's suggestion of an added bonus to the competition made Lucy inwardly groan. As if Natsu wasn't "fired up" enough about the competition to begin with. She could practically see the fire around Natsu at the heightened stakes.

"What kind of bet? What about…whoever loses runs around the school naked? Wait, you do that anyways." Levy giggled while Gray glared, not impressed with Natsu's joke. Lucy hide her smile behind her hand, trying not to take a side. Natsu furrowed his eyebrows, rubbing his chin slowly. "The loser could steal Erza's bra from her gym locker. Or we could eat something that Gajeel cooks, that'd be pretty bad."

"No, none of those." Easily Gray dismissed Natsu's suggestions, Natsu losing his patience.

"Well then you come up with something!"

"Let's do _that _bet." Gray's implication left Lucy confused and Natsu stunned.

"What bet?" Lucy asked, curious about Gray's emphasis. Her interest only grew when seeing an instant reaction from Natsu.

"No way, I'm not doing it." Natsu shook his head, surprising Lucy. She had never seen Natsu back away from a fight or challenge. She almost thought he didn't know the word 'quit'. Yet for some reason, this mention of a specific bet had Natsu high-tailing it out of the competition. Just what the heck were the two talking about?

"So then you know I'll win?"

"Keep dreaming!"

"Then accept the bet." A silent conversation passed between her friend's eyes. The moment of silence lingered before disappearing, Natsu giving a sharp nod.

"Fine, _that _bet. Get ready to face the music, asshole." Gray barked out a mocking laugh, showing Lucy he wasn't as riled as Natsu was. Getting aggravated with the private conversation, Lucy crossed her arms and huffed.

"What are you two talking about? What bet?" Natsu refused to look at her, keeping a narrowed glare on Gray's smug face. The dark-haired teen glanced over to Lucy with a devilish look that sent a chill straight down her spine.

"You'll be the first to know, Lucy." It was a second later that Natsu shoved Gray, ignoring Erza's shout across the room.

"Knock it off, asshole!" The two growled at each other, then instantly backed off when hearing the bell signaling the end of school. Natsu snatched his books off his desk, tucking them under his armpit before glaring at Gray again. "Get ready to lose tomorrow."

"Doubt it, hot head." The two bumped shoulders roughly when Natsu pushed past Gray, neither showing the contact hurt in fear of seeming less masculine. Lucy's eyes watched Natsu leave the room, missing Erza entering the conversation.

"Those two need to learn to get along, or they're going to get expelled." Levy giggled at Erza's long sigh, placing her hand on Erza's shoulder.

"If they weren't so lively, your job would be boring!"

"I might just need a little boring every now and then."

"You say that—" Levy was quickly cut off when Juvia entered the conversation, slamming her hands onto a desk between them. Lucy jumped when seeing the look of anger on the woman's face, an action that was very rare when not involving Gray.

"Juvia does not like this bet! Juvia does not want other girls near Gray! And Juvia wants to know what this bet is."

"I don't think either boy will tell us about it; they were being pretty secretive during the conversation," Lucy replied, still curious about the same thing. Levy shrugged, gathering her books in her little grasp.

"Maybe there's a reason they haven't told you? It could have something to do with you, after all. But I've got to go; Gajeel's waiting to give me a ride home. I'll see you guys tomorrow!"

"I have to go as well; the student council team is asking for my help after school. Make sure you don't get swept up in that bet tomorrow. Focus on your studies!" Lucy jumped quickly at the serious tone, nodding several times until her red-haired friend left the room. She turned to ask Juvia her plans for the day, but the quiet woman had already snuck away. If Lucy had to guess, it was to stalk a particular stripper again. Sighing, Lucy slowly packed up her stuff and left as well, trying to get the conversation out of her head. She knew that the mysterious bet shouldn't have bothered her like it did. Natsu and Lucy were best friends, but even friends had their own lives. Lucy had kept her feelings for the pink-haired teen secret, and she was sure there were other things he didn't know. Wasn't Natsu allowed to have secrets too? It seemed only fair.

"Natsu will tell me when he thinks I'm ready, and that's it." Nodding to herself happily at her own decision, Lucy smiled and practically skipped the rest of the way to her car. She would just have to wait until tomorrow to see what the bet was about.

How hard could that be?

* * *

"Luce?" Cringing at the sleepy tone her best friend used, Lucy felt a slight pinch of guilt well in her stomach. Truly she hadn't planned to call Natsu. But when her thoughts were making it impossible for her to get to sleep, Lucy knew that she had to call him. Though the florescent numbers of her alarm flashed '2:34' am, Lucy had held hope that her energetic best friend would still be awake. Now, hearing the loud yawn on the other side of the phone, she knew that wasn't the case.

"Hey, Natsu. Uh…can we talk?"

"Sure, do you need me to come over? Nothing happened with your dad, right? Give me five minutes to put on some pants and I'll be—"

"No, no! Really, it's not that serious!" Lucy turned on her back, fanning her overheated face with her hand when realizing Natsu was most likely naked. Though he made fun of Gray for his nudity problem, Natsu had always slept in the buff. He complained about how overheated his body became with clothes at night. The only exception to this rule was when he was at Lucy's house, out of sheer respect for her late mother. Still, even with the clothing on, Lucy could feel the furnace that resided in her hot-tempered friend whenever he slept over. While very appreciated in the winter, it was a serious problem in the hotter weather.

"Well it's gotta be important if you're up this late. Don't old ladies like you need lots of beauty sleep?" She pouted when she heard his sleepy chuckle, Lucy glaring up at the ceiling.

"You do realize you're older than me, right?"

"Yeah, but I look hot for my old age." She heard a loud slap in the phone, and she knew he was admiring his own six-pack. Rolling her eyes, Lucy let a loud sigh embody her irritation.

"Are you going to continue to admire yourself, or would you like to continue with why I called you?" There was a pause on the phone, as if Natsu was actually weighing the options. Not giving him time to continue his pointless pondering, Lucy continued. "It's about that bet."

"Oh." Instantly, Lucy heard the humor leave Natsu's voice.

"What's going to happen if you lose the bet tomorrow?" She asked, too tired to beat around the bush.

"I'm not going to lose! You really think girls are going to give their hearts to some psycho stripper? Where are they even going to pin their hearts?" Despite her disapproval of his avoiding maneuver, Lucy giggled.

"Even if his nudity freaks you out, it's not like Gray is ugly. He's got a nice body." She smiled when she heard a loud scoff on the other side of the phone, Lucy rolling to look out the window. Despite her true motive for her phone call, Natsu's conversation was somehow dragging the need to sleep out of her. Even though he was loud and rambunctious, Lucy had fallen asleep several times while Natsu was on the phone. If he was offended, he didn't say it.

"What, you turning into Juvia? I don't think the school can handle another stalker."

"She wouldn't be so invested in him if he didn't leave that voicemail, you know."

"You think she's bad now? Wait until Gray loses tomorrow. Then she'll never leave his side!" Pouting slightly at the tease, Lucy yawned and snuggled closer to her pillow.

"So the consequences of the bet involve Juvia and me?"

"I'm not telling you about the bet."

"If you don't tell me, I'll refuse to give you my heart tomorrow."

"Don't you every year?" She scowled at his truthful statement. Every year prior, she had promised to keep her heart away from Natsu. But, just like her real heart, Natsu always found new ways to get it for himself. Accepting the fact that Natsu was not going to give her the information she wanted, Lucy switched the question's focus.

"When did you guys come up with this bet, anyways?"

"The same night Gray made that damn voicemail. Never thought the ice-prick would ever actually use it."

"Wait, you were drunk?!" She could practically hear him nodding into the phone, making her groan. "Now I'm almost scared to know how I'm involved."

"Does nobody think I'm going to win?!" Despite her slight irritation, Lucy smiled softly as she closed her eyes. Her voice dimmed, the edges of her sentences tinged with sleep.

"I believe in whatever you do, Natsu."

"You really mean that?"

"Of course, you mean a lot to me." She was rambling, as she did every time she fell asleep on him. Despite trying to keep herself from talking, the words continued to pour out. "You won't steal my heart tomorrow, ya know."

"You already said this," he said, chuckling afterwards. Lucy heard the response, but her sleepy mind took a few moments to mumble a slow response.

"I'm giving it away."

"Eh? For who?"

"It's a secret. But I will give my heart to the guy I want tomorrow."

"What does that mean? Lucy? Luuuuucy!" Despite Natsu's calling of her name, Lucy allowed herself to fall asleep. He would find out tomorrow, after all.

* * *

"Please?"

"No."

"Pretty please?"

"No."

"Don't make me get Levy."

"Like the shrimp's gonna get a word out of me. She's probably the one who told you where my first class was, huh?"

"…That's not the point here!"

"Go away."

"But Gajeel—"

"I'm not telling you a damn thing, Blondie." Though the tall man snapped out his response, Lucy refused to give up the fight.

"I only have five minutes until that first bell goes off and I can't talk to any male for the rest of the day. Natsu and Gray are refusing to talk about it to anyone, let alone me. But you were there the night the bet went down; you know what the deal is!"

"Why do you care so much anyways? Normally by now you're bitching about 'keeping your heart from Natsu this year'. Which, might I add, never happens cause you can't go a day without talking to lover boy." Though his imitation of her was horrible, Lucy still blushed and waved her hands in front of her.

"Lover boy? Me an-and Natsu? Don't be ridiculous! If anyone is in love it's you and Levy!" She watched in amusement as Gajeel visibly reacted to her calling him out. His eyes widened, and it took a moment of him stumbling over his words before he could reply.

"Don't be jumping to conclusions on your own! What's the shrimp been telling people?"

"If you tell me the bet, I'll tell you about Levy."

"Woman, I was piss drunk and trying to determine if jumping out the second story window was as fun as it sounded. Like I was really listening to the stipulations of this bet they made up." Hearing Gajeel's logic made Lucy sigh, leaning back against the wall he was residing against.

"Yeah, you're probably right," she mumbled, lowering her head slightly.

"Whatever it was, don't worry about it." She closed her eyes when a rough hand was drop on top of her head, Gajeel grinning while messing up her ponytail.

"Gajeel!"

"Natsu wouldn't put you in danger; you're the one thing he'll always protect. He won't even let the guys talk about you in the locker room. I'd bet he wouldn't of even bet about you if he hadn't been so drunk." Despite her best efforts, Lucy smiled and blushed at the information. That moment of happiness was short-lived when repeating Gajeel's statement in her head.

"Wait, people talk about me in the locker room? What do they say?!"

"Nothing you need to know about." He snickered, and Lucy went to yell again before the first bell went off. Instantly she stopped, slapping both hands over her mouth to keep herself from talking. Giving his trademark smirk, Gajeel crossed his arms and pushed off the wall. "You better get to class and get your heart. Normally I hate this holiday, but today should be more than amusing to watch."

Lucy glared at Gajeel, but heeded his words and ran toward her homeroom class. She barely made it in time for the late bell, her teaching giving her a warning look before handing her a pink paper heart. One of the rules of the competition was that you wrote your name on it, to show who got whose heart. Feeling risky, Lucy wrote 'Luce', a name only Natsu called her. Lucy looked at her handiwork then pinned the heart on her shirt and smiled. She glanced over to Juvia, who was already drawing Gray's name all over her heart. She knew that Juvia would take all day designing the heart before finally giving it to Gray at the end of the day. What Gray did with all the hearts he collected, Lucy wasn't sure. She could only hope that Gray kept Juvia's from being dumpster-bound.

"And with the final heart, let the 'Steal-a-Heart' day begin!" At her teacher's announcement, Lucy glanced down at her own heart and sighed.

"Let's hope this bet doesn't get out of hand."

**And there's the first chapter! I hope that this minor cliff hanger doesn't ruffle anyone's feathers too much. But with its ending comes lots and lots of questions! Like, who will win the competition? What will happen with everyone's hearts? Will Natsu manage to steal Lucy's? Or will a different character come along and mess things up? And what else will that poor history teacher have to endure? Guess you'll have to review and wait for the next chapter! **

**Chapter two: A Twist in the Game**


	2. A Twist in the Game

**Hello my little duckies! I'm sorry that this took so long, I'm trying to space out my writing while writing 1000 things. Not to mention my brother's anniversary was the seventh, and my birthday was Thursday, so I was a little swept up this week. I don't want to delay you any longer, so take a seat and enjoy the ride!**

**Disclaimer: As far as I know, I don't own Fairy Tail…I should've gotten it for my birthday –grumbles-**

**Chapter Two: A Twist in the Game**

To her credit, Lucy walked into lunch with the bright pink heart proudly pinned to her shirt. It wasn't to say nobody tried. Despite her single status, Lucy was one of the more popular girls in the school. Whether it was the lady-killer Loke or quieter freshman Romeo, Lucy politely made her way through her school day in silence. It wasn't hard with her brain so pre-occupied. The bet of the boys mixed with her own confusing feelings occupied most of her attention. It didn't help that she hadn't seen Natsu all day. Their non-matching schedules were supposed to be a blessing, not a curse. Even when she looked for him in between blocks, the familiar pink hair was nowhere to be seen.

So where the heck was he?

"Good afternoon, Lucy." Erza's polite welcome barely fazed Lucy, who nodded in greeting while moving into her seat. She exchanged quiet hellos with Levy, the only other familiar face at the table. She glanced around for either Gray or Natsu, neither yet to enter the cafeteria. Her frown tugged at her lips, wondering if her best friend was really swept up in the steal-a-heart competition. If the red head noticed Lucy's silence, she didn't pay the strange action any mind. "I see you still have your heart. I should have known a strong woman such as yourself would keep her bearings in this environment."

"Are you going to keep reminding me of how quickly I lost mine?" Levy groaned, leaning her head in her hand. Lucy looked over to the blue-haired girl, realizing that she didn't have the heart given to them first block. It didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out who stole her-

"But to Natsu?" Lucy's shoulders tensed at the surprising sentence, Erza shaking her head in dismay. "Gajeel's going to be very upset when he sees your heart missing."

"That jerk? He won't even bat an eyelash at me. He doesn't care about this 'stupid game' one bit." Levy emphasized her point with air quotes.

"How did Natsu manage to steal your heart?" Lucy asked, trying to mask the pain that nipped at her heart. Her best friend had been a ghost to her, yet obviously wasn't idle. Levy sighed, rubbing her temple to distract herself from her blush.

"He...he said that he needed help looking for a book. Well everyone knows that I volunteer at the library. I'm so used to students asking me that exact question, the response came out without even thinking. Before I knew what I had done, Natsu was walking away with my heart."

"Who knew Natsu could be so sneaky?" Erza asked, Levy pouting like a child.

"Well from how many hearts he had pinned on his shirt, I certainly don't doubt it anymore. I knew that Natsu wasn't going to lose by a landslide, but he's actually keeping up with Gray. With the pace he's going, I wouldn't be too surprised if he won the whole thing."

"How many would you say he had?" Lucy asked softly, knowing no matter the number her self-esteem would continue to shrink.

"When I saw him second period, he had 20 hearts. But that was almost two hours ago, he could have gotten more by now," Erza answered, pushing her glasses up her nose. "He tried to sway me with strawberry cake, but I saw through his tactics and gave him a glare that sent him running."

"Why are you so adamant about him not getting your heart anyways? I get Levy, cause she secretly wanted Gajeel to ask for it, but you?" Lucy asked, Erza instantly stiffening at her questioning. Intrigued by the strange response, Lucy smiled and leaned closer to the red head. "Are you trying to save it for someone special?"

"W-W-What? Who would I-I, the president of the cl-class, be saving my hea-heart for?" Stuttering through her response, Erza jumped when Levy joined in on the teasing.

"I bet it's the president of the theatre group, Jellal! Erza's been spending a lot of time in the black box lately, and Gajeel said she saw the two of them having lunch in the courtyard last week."

"He ratted me out? I should have squashed him when I had the chance!" Erza's rage was put out the second she heard Lucy's giggled, the blonde poking the paper heart on Erza's chest.

"I thought you said you didn't come to lunch that day because you had to talk to the principal about some new lunch program?" Trying to compose herself, Erza cleared her throat and spoke through the blush blooming on her face.

"Jellal was also invited to the lunch-in with the principal, but it got postponed after we had already arrived. Jellal was being polite in his invitation to lunch, to which I accepted. That is all. Jellal and I have known each other for a while, both being invited to several meetings with Principal Makarov. He likes to keep the leaders of each major school group on a friendly basis, as to lower the chances of hazing or bullying. Other than that, Jellal and I have a strictly platonic relationship."

"Your blush says otherwise," Lucy replied slyly, though lost her mischievous smile when her friend's face dropped in sadness. "You…really like him, huh?"

"Even if I was to say I did, it doesn't change the fact that we are not, will ever be, an item. So please, I'd ask you two to keep this privy information to yourselves." The tone Erza used was lined with sadness, making Lucy's sympathy grow. So Erza couldn't be with the one she loved, either. Lucy probably understood that feeling better than most.

"Maybe we should change the subject? I can't believe Natsu hasn't gotten yours yet, Lu-chan. How did you manage that?" Levy tried to lighten the atmosphere, but unintentionally brought up a topic that only dragged Lucy's mood down. The blonde let her finger draw invisible hearts on the table in front of her, shrugging.

"Honestly, Natsu hasn't even tried to talk to me today."

"What?!" The unison between Erza and Levy made Lucy nod.

"A couple guys have tried to get my heart, but not Natsu. I guess he's too busy with the competition to really think about it."

"Oh, don't be upset Lu-chan. If anything, that's a positive thing." Levy's reply made Lucy laugh, though not with humor.

"How could this be a good thing?" She asked, Levy trying to cheer her friend up with a smile.

"Every year before this, Natsu never played this stupid game. Girls would even try to get him to talk to them, but he would shrug off their advancements and even tell them to keep their hearts. He's never been one to play this game!"

"But what does that have to do with me?"

"Because you're the exception to his pattern. Every year before this competition, the only heart that he's made it a point to get was yours. You don't think that's a coincidence, right?" Erza chimed in, making a statement that left Lucy unable to respond.

Not that she had the time. A slam from the cafeteria door rang out through the halls, the group glancing up to see what the commotion was about. Lucy's mouth dropped when she spotted her best friend, looking pinker than ever. Nearly covered in paper hearts, Natsu's grin spread across his face as he strut his winnings throughout the cafeteria. Erza growled and Levy smacked her forehead, but Lucy remained frozen as she watched the spectacle in front of her. There were more than twenty now. It was getting to the point that hearts started to overlap each other. And names weren't the only thing written on the hearts. Messages of endearment, winky faces, and even numbers had seemed to be scrawled on the fronts of the hearts Natsu displayed so proudly.

"What is this moron doing, disrupting the whole cafeteria like this! When I get done with him—" Erza rose in anger, barely being held back by her smaller counterpart.

"Please don't get too mad, Erza! He's just playing along with Gray's competition."

"Even so, he should have some class about it. The immaturity of the boys we hang out with is infuriating. Lucy, let's go. You shouldn't have to watch Natsu show boat his lack of intelligence."

Lucy, unfortunately, had stopped listening to her friends the moment Lisanna Stauss approached Natsu. The short haired cheerleader was known by everyone in school. She was actually a really sweet girl. Lucy had even partnered up with her in Chemistry the year before. But Lucy couldn't think about that while she watched Lisanna exchange words with Natsu, intending to give her heart away. And Natsu was all smiles when Lisanna pinned the heart to his shirt. Lucy heard a few cat-calls and whistles from the crowd, which the two laughed off. But for that moment, Lisanna's heart was all that mattered to Natsu.

That was it. Like a weight had crushed her, Lucy almost forgot to breathe when seeing them together. Despite the conversation going on around her, Lucy couldn't hear a thing. It was like the world had stopped. Tears welled in her eyes, and she had to blink several times to ignore the stabs of jealousy that hit her. It wasn't that she hated Lisanna; she was more beautiful on the inside than the outside. In fact, Lucy didn't hate any of the girls that had willingly given their hearts to Natsu. And it wasn't like Lucy expected Natsu to lose miserably; she knew Natsu had grown his own style of popularity throughout the years. No matter who you asked, everyone knew Natsu in the school.

But it still hurt. For the past three years, the only heart that Natsu ever tried to get was hers. Without her knowledge, the motion made her feel special to him. Like she was the only girl he cared about this time of year. Natsu would adorn his chest with her heart for the entire day while teasing his embarrassed best friend any chance he'd get. Most of the time, she only pretended to be upset about her loss to him. Seeing her name over his heart felt like claim of territory. Every year it had been the same pleasant feeling. But today…

She slammed her hands onto the table she was sitting at, jostling her friends from their conversation.

"Lucy?" Erza's concerned tone made Lucy lower her head, hoping her bangs would cover her eyes. She rose and moved out of her seat, her voice shaking.

"I-I've got to…to go do something." She couldn't even make up a real excuse as she ran out of the cafeteria. She heard Levy call her name, but she ignored it. Lucy wipes her eyes with the back of her hands, bumping into someone in the hallway. She mumbled a tearful apology as she ran around the corner. She barely made it to her locker before breaking down. Pain seized her heart, Lucy placing her hand over her chest while sinking to her knees. Why did this hurt so much? Lucy pressed her forehead to her locker as she continued to cry out her pain. Natsu had _always_ tried to get her heart first. That was the only thing that let her cling to the hope he had similar feelings.

That last heart stole her optimism.

"Lucy." Trying to stop her sobs, she tilted her head up to see Gray kneeling next to her.

"H-How did you know I w-was here?" She managed to get out between hiccups and sobs.

"I was headed to lunch when you ran straight into me. You were really upset, so I'm guessing you didn't even notice." His hand rested on her shoulder, guiding her to turn and sit against the cold lockers next to him. Her tears continued to fall, though Gray did his best to wipe her cheeks clean. Gray hardly did emotions, but always hated to see a person cry. It was the gentleman in him that wrapped a comforting arm around Lucy's shoulder. He pulled her into his side, letting out a quiet sigh. "I can't help if you don't stop crying."

"It's not like I want to blubber like a baby!" Lucy shouted, Gray nodding at her exclamation.

"Then get yourself together and tell me why you're a sobbing mess." There was no teasing or taunting in his voice. He truly wanted to help Lucy. Taking a few deep breaths, Lucy blinked at the tissue Gray offered her. She looked confused at his supply of Kleenex, though Gray simply shrugged. "I've hung out with Juvia enough to carry a few tools."

"Thanks," she whispered, cleaning her face and trying to compose herself. Gray sat silently, rubbing the side of her arm while staring out the window across the hallway. He didn't rush her, allowing her to collect herself in her own time. She glanced at him from the corner of her eye, admiring the handsome friend beside her. Gray certainly was a full package deal. He was intelligent, compassionate, family-oriented, and definitely not hard on the eyes. It wasn't hard to figure out why most girls enjoyed his stripping hobby. She blushed when realizing his gentle hold on her, silently wondering how her heart didn't flutter. Gray was the kind of guy girls dreamed of! Lucy probably would have been a fan too, if she hadn't met the pink-haired man first.

"You ready to explain why you're out here instead of at lunch?"

"I don't know if I should tell you," she admitted, knowing the close friendship Gray had with Natsu. If she confessed her feelings to Gray, would he let the secret out?

"Can I make an assumption?" His question threw Lucy off, making her curious enough to nod. He still hadn't looked at her, concentrating on the snow falling out the window. His face gave no indication of the sudden bombshell he was going to spill. "Does it have to do with the fact you've fallen for Natsu?"

"W-what?"

"It's just an educated guess. I've been both of your friends for years; didn't take much to see how much you like him." Her eyes dropped their widened look, Lucy somberly staring down at her own lap.

"I'm such an idiot."

"Natsu's the idiot," he countered, making Lucy smile through her self-loathing. "He's got no sense of emotional understanding. The fact that he can't comprehend his own feeling makes him a fool. He's one step above a dog. Half the time I feel like I need to let him outside to pee."

"Gray!" She hit his side and laughed, unable to frown at the slight smirk he sent her way. Sometimes the stoic guy gave way to a heart-warming cynic. It was a contradictory idea that only Gray made attractive. Once her shoulders stopped shaking from laughter, Gray's faced returned to his natural serious look. His gaze travelled back to the snowfall, squeezing her shoulder supportively.

"Don't give up on him just yet. I think deep down, you're the one person that he's happy with. That's why the guy never tries to date other girls; the one he's most comfortable with is always by his side." Gray's comforting assessment warmed Lucy's heart. She leaned her head on his shoulder, voicing her true insecurity.

"Do you think he'll run if I tell him the truth?" She asked, Gray taking a few moments to answer.

"Maybe."

"Not what I was hoping to hear," Lucy mumbled.

"But if he runs…chase after him." She glanced up at him, surprised at the reminiscent smile on his face. Somehow, she was sure he didn't mean to show her that. "Eventually he'll realize the truth and turn around to catch you."

"Seems sort of hypocritical to hear that from you." She giggled when he tensed and sharply shook his head. Despite his quick response, she noticed the red hue on his cheeks. Feeling playful, Lucy elbowed his ribs and continued. "Are you finally going to let Juvia catch _you_?"

"The relationship Juvia and I have is a completely different animal."

"Are you, though?" Lucy wasn't buying his lame answer. Pushing herself up to stand, Lucy turned to the sour looking man still on the floor. She bent down, smiling while holding her hand out. "A guy I admire once told me that a man who can't realize his own feelings is simply a fool. Are you a fool, Gray?"

"Not in the slightest."

"Then take my hand. But—" Gray paused at Lucy's warning tone, noticing the competitive look in her eyes. "If you do, you do so with a promise."

"A promise?"

"That you will be honest with Juvia. No more running. Face her with an answer, one way or the other. If you want her, steal her heart by the end of the day. Either love her the way she deserves, or let her go."

"I think I preferred the depressed Lucy." His dead-pan reply made her glare, though she smiled when he grasped her hand in his own. "But you're right about one thing; Juvia deserves a final answer."

"Then we have a deal!"

"That deal better include you handing your heart over to Gray." Both teens tensed at the new voice, the preppy bookworm waving her finger between the two. "You talked to Gray before school was over."

"Levy! This doesn't count; we were discussing real life matters."

"That doesn't matter, Luce! If we could make excuses, I'm sure every girl would still have her heart. Now you better give it up, or I'll get Erza," Levy teased, Lucy shaking her head quickly. Erza was in charge of the Steal-a-heart day, and a huge stickler to the rules. If Levy ratted her out, then Erza would hunt them down. She glanced to Gray, who seemed to have the same idea.

"It doesn't mean anything, right?" At Gray's question, Lucy nodded and smiled. Silently she wondered if her insecurity showed in her words.

"It's just a paper heart! I mean, it doesn't mean we're dating or anything." But even as she handed the heart to Gray, Lucy felt her stomach cramp up. It was a foreign feeling, seeing Natsu's nickname for her tacked onto Gray's shirt. It wasn't meant to be there. Gray didn't seem comfortable either, tugging on his shirt a few times before glancing to Levy.

"You satisfied?" The bookworm nodded, sending her scowling friend a wink before the bell went off.

"Now we better head off to History; you know the teacher will have our heads if we're late!" Lucy couldn't argue with the true statement, the three quickly running through the hallways to get to their class across the school. They barely made it into the doorway before the bell went off, the door quick to shut behind them. Lucy panted as she glanced up at their teacher, who simply shook his head at the rambunctious nature their group brought to the class.

"Would you three be so kind to find your seats? I find it shocking that Natsu managed to find the classroom before three of my brightest students."

"Hey!" Lucy turned toward the indignant shout, her eyes unable to meet Natsu's gaze. She lowered her head, making it to her seat while Natsu argued with the teacher about his intelligence.

"Do you think he noticed?" Gray's whisper from her left made her shake her head. Too wrapped up in his own world, Natsu had hardly looked at her since she stumbled into the classroom.

"What about Juvia?" Lucy had been thinking about her blue haired friend when they scrambled to get to class. She had just started to gain Juvia's trust; Gray having her heart wasn't going to help with their friendship. Gray seemed to be on the same page, tucking her heart as far away from Juvia's sight as possible.

"Nothing yet, but she's not as oblivious as Natsu. Try to keep your talking with guys to a minimum. If she notices you're chatting with guys, she'll want to know how you lost your heart. I'm going to explain to her what happened after school. I don't want her to get the wrong idea and get hurt."

Gray's concern over Juvia's feelings warmed Lucy. He tried so hard to keep his feelings secret, but Lucy was no dummy. She knew he held a special place for Juvia in his heart. But the true question was, would he ever be able to let her see that?

She thought back to their promise in the hallway. He would tell Juvia straight out his thoughts, if Lucy did the same with Natsu. She glanced over at her best friend, who was now trying to balance a pencil on his upper lip. Despite her earlier anger, Lucy couldn't help but giggle. He was easily distracted by whatever came into eyesight. Unwillingly, her brain flashed back to lunch with Lisanna. Seeing how happy he was to receive her heart made Lucy start to think. Would he even care she lost her heart? It wasn't like he had tried to get it earlier. He had to have known that she would eventually lose it. Lucy knew her body was appealing, and she had been complimented on her sunny disposition in life. Every girl knew there were rating systems in the school. She had also known, to the displeasure of Natsu, that she was near the top of the list. Really it was a miracle someone hadn't stolen her heart earlier!

Lucy was so wrapped up in her own thoughts, that she barely noticed her name being called.

"Lucy!" Levy was now in her vision, a look of concern stretching across her face.

"Levy?"

"You've got to stop them; they've decided to count the hearts right now!" Blinking once, Lucy glanced around to see everyone around her standing up. Just what was going on? She yelped when Levy yanked on her arm, pushing their way through their classmates to get to the center. Normally, Lucy would groan or roll her eyes when seeing Gray and Natsu squaring off. They only shared last block together, so they always fought in this class. But for some reason, apprehension started to creep through her veins.

"Why do I even bother trying to teach?" The teacher was waving a tissue in a sign of surrender, not bothering to stop the teenagers from pushing desks into a table. Lucy looked around as people gathered on either side of the boys, searching for a particular red head that had yet to be seen.

"Where is Erza?"

"She got called up to the auditorium for some reason, she left before class even started. That's why I knew you were the only hope we had left." Lucy was going to mention Juvia, but she stopped when realizing that the envious girl would be of no help. She was already fuming in the corner, glaring at any girl that came within a twenty food radius of Gray. It looked like Lucy was on her own for the time being.

"I don't know how much of a help I'm going to be, but…I guess I'll try," Lucy mumbled, brushing her shirt off before making her way to the makeshift table. Before she could say a word, Natsu turned to her with a grin that left her heart pounding.

"Luce! Just the girl I wanted to see. Me and Ice prick decided to get this show on the road early, while Erza isn't here to yell at us. Now, I know you can't really talk to either of us without giving up your heart, but we'll both give you a freebie if you tally the hearts and tell us who the winner is. That a deal?"

She stared at him, her mouth refusing to come up with a sensible response. How was she supposed to tell him that she _could _talk to him because she had already given her heart to Gray?

"O-Okay," she mumbled, glancing to Gray in concern. She could feel her hands trembling as she took the marker from Natsu's hand and walked to the board, making a chart to tally. Trying not to give away too much from her body language, Lucy spun back to the boys and faked a smile. "So who wants to give me their hearts first?"

"I will," Gray offered, starting to unclip the hearts. Before he could hand her the first heart, Natsu's loud voice broke the air.

"Wait a minute! You can't just have her count the paper." Gray arched an eyebrow at Natsu's complaint, making him continue. "How am I supposed to know you didn't just cut up a bunch of hearts in one of your classes and stick them on yourself?"

"You really think I'd waste my time doing something that stupid?" Gray asked, crossing his arms in annoyance. Natsu immediately nodded, mirroring Gray's actions.

"You say it's stupid, but that could just be you covering your own tracks."

"You really don't have a brain, do you?"

"I've got one, it's been checked plenty of times!" Not realizing he insulted himself, Natsu turned to Lucy and made an 'x' out of his arms. "This is where Lucy is perfect. She practically knows everyone in this school because she's way into gossip—"

"I'm right here you know," Lucy muttered, her eye twitching at Natsu's ignorance.

"So here's the rule; Lucy doesn't tally a heart until she's told the name on it." Gray tensed at the new stipulation, an action that Natsu quickly picked up on. What he failed to see was the look of panic in Lucy's eyes. "What, you nervous I'm going to discover you wrote fake names on there?"

"No way. I just think it's pointless to make Lucy read them out to us. Why can't she just tally them in silence? Then she can check the names to try and find these fake hearts you're so worried about." Lucy had to give Gray credit; he was quick on his feet under the worst of situations. Natsu shook his head at the suggestion, pointing to his own hearts.

"Cause I wanna make sure that we don't have doubles. If I hear a name whose heart I know I have, then we'll know the girls were making copies just to get attention from us. You know how crazy girls can get with this valentine's shit." Girls? Lucy nearly fell over at Natsu's logic. Wasn't it two boys who made the competition revolve around the celebration of love? Nobody made them do that! Her eyes dropped down to the ground, her grip on the marker loosening.

_No, Natsu chased those girls all on his own…_

"Fine, but you're going first and I'm only reading until I've beat you. I'm positive I'm not gonna need all my hearts to win this bet." The class whistled at Gray's cocky response, Natsu growling.

"Keep talking, ice cube. I can't wait to see your face when I blow you out of the water! You're hands going to cramp from writing so many of my tallies, Luce!" When Natsu didn't get a response, he glanced over to his unusually silent best friend. He blinked then stepped forward, trying to catch her gaze. "Luce?"

"Huh? Oh." Lucy sighed and looked up at Natsu, whose look of concern was evident. She glanced over to Gray, who gave her a confident nod. She knew Gray's game plan. He'd leave her heart at the end of the pile. Judging from the hearts of each of their bodies, it seemed like Gray did have the upper hand. She caught sight of Juvia, who was now trying to count the hearts along Gray's body. Or maybe she was just checking him out. She glanced back to Gray, double checking that her heart was out of sight. If Gray had more hearts than Natsu, then neither Juvia nor Natsu would know about their accidental slip up. Then they could really focus on what mattered; addressing their feelings for their counterpart. That thought made it possible for her to smile. "I'm ready when you two are."

"Right! Game on popsicle!"

Eight freshman, four sophomores, seven juniors, and thirteen seniors. Thirty two. That was the number that Gray had to surpass. At first the number seemed possible to beat, despite being one of the highest ranked heart collections Lucy had ever seen. The only one who had gotten close to that was Loke, the playboy of the senior class. Even he only scrounged up twenty. Gray had scoffed at the number, and the process of counting his began. There were no copies or fake girls, which didn't come to a surprise to anyone but Natsu. And at that point, Lucy could see the finish line approaching.

But once Gray's numbers started to slow, Lucy became nervous. The hearts were disappearing quickly, and his number was still a few spaces behind Natsu. She glanced to her heart again when she drew another tally, tensing slightly when realizing her name was now visible. If Natsu noticed, he didn't say anything, only speaking when exchanging jabs with Gray. It left a bittersweet taste in her mouth. Though it hurt to think Natsu didn't care, it made her feel a little better about Gray's surplus of hearts diminishing.

"Cana." Gray's voice rang through the silent classroom, even the teacher now enthralled in the atmosphere of the challenge. Lucy put the tally for her eccentric friend, wondering how Gray managed to snag that one. Probably with the promise of getting her booze.

"That's thirty one. Next?" Lucy asked, waiting for Gray to read off another name. When no response came, Lucy turned back to see the conflict on Gray's face. It didn't take longer than a second for Lucy to realize why. There was only one heart left. He had it folded in his hand, making Lucy the only one who could see it. From everyone else's view, he had run out.

"I'm done." She was shocked. Was Gray really going to forfeit the competition? She watched his eyes glance to his right, where Juvia stood watching. Lucy's heart melted slightly when realizing what he was doing. Gray was going to hide it so he wouldn't hurt Juvia. In that moment, Lucy could see why Juvia had fallen for Gray.

"I won!" Natsu's loud cheer rang through the classroom, Gray's eye twitching at his jubilant cheer. The shorter guy danced around the room, making Lucy smack her forehead. Trying to take the highroad, Gray nodded and spoke through gritted teeth.

"Yeah, I guess—"

"You could never beat me!"

"Sure, whatever. Let's just shake hands and be done with this." Lucy could understand Gray's irritation. He was trying to do the right thing for not only Juvia, but Natsu as well. And here the guy was, rubbing it in his face. Lucy could see Natsu was really starting to irritate Gray, the hand with the heart clenching with thin restraint. Trying to help her friend, Lucy stepped forward and touched Natsu's shoulder.

"Natsu, that's enough."

"No way! He talks so big, yet he can't deliver." Natsu's eyes grew mischievous when he glanced to Gray, whose shoulders were shaking in restraint. "Must be awful to eat all your words, huh?"

"Natsu, stop. Seriously, you don't wanna do this." Gray's warning fell on deaf ears, Natsu laughing instead.

"What's wrong Gray? Mad because I finally proved that I'm better than you?" That sentence seemed to snap something in Gray, and Lucy felt her heart stop when Gray lowered his head to cover his eyes.

"You think so, huh?" There was a tone to his voice that showed that Gray was done with Natsu's mocking. Gray sharply yanked his head up, tossing the remaining heart toward Natsu. Confusion furrowed Natsu's brow when he caught the heart, glancing between Gray and the pink heart.

"What's this?"

"The tying vote. I'll let you read it, since you're _so_ much better than me." The smirk that Gray held was taunting, Natsu glaring back.

"What, you grab another one of Wendy's little freshman friends?"

"Nope, she's a senior just like us." Lucy pulled back from Natsu like his shoulder burned her skin. She really wanted to run from the room, but she knew that doing so would only cause more problems. She looked to Juvia, who was desperately trying to read the name on the heart. She wanted to say something; an apology or a quick explanation. But the conversation between the boys was moving too fast, and she couldn't make her mouth work.

"What the hell, Gray? We've practically covered every girl either one of us knows, except Erza. And I know for a fact she didn't give it to anyone." Instead, she watched Gray laugh and shake his head in disappointment.

"You're really stupid, aren't you? You've overlooked this girl all day. No wonder she gave her heart to someone else this year. Maybe she wanted it to go to someone who'd treat her like a prize instead of an expectation." The widening of Natsu's eyes proved that the puzzle finally clicked in his head. She took another step back when Natsu turned his gaze to her, a fisted hand pressed to her lips in fear. The expression that passed across his face was mixed with confusion and pain. But there was also anger, lots of it. Putting the final nail in the coffin, Gray spoke. "I think she even wrote 'Luce' on the heart. Cute nickname."

"Natsu I—" Lucy started. She didn't get another word out before Natsu turned and slugged Gray in the face, knocking the dark haired boy hard into the desks. Natsu walked toward Gray, rage filling his features.

"Don't ever say that name again." Gray shoved off the desks to spear Natsu to the ground, the two starting to brawl on the floor. The class erupted with screams, the teacher shouting for the two boys to stop. They rolled around on the floor, both bodies slamming into the desks. Natsu kneed Gray in the stomach, Gray grunting before slamming his opponent's head into the floor. Natsu reacted quickly; smashing his own forehead into Gray's to daze him. The two switched positions a few times, each getting several hits in. Fearing the fate of the two's school placement, Lucy ran over and desperately pulled on Gray's arm.

"Stop! Please, Gray! You two are going to get expelled!" Gray got a good shot in on Natsu before he finally pushed off him, letting Lucy lead him to the opposite side of the circle. Natsu sat up on the floor, wiping the blood off his chin with his sleeve. He glared at Gray fiercely, who nursed his own cheek with his hand. The hothead's attention then dropped to the hold Lucy had on Gray's arm, making Lucy instantly pull away. Scoffing, Natsu pushed himself to his feet and grabbed his backpack, walking out of the room.

"Natsu wait!" Lucy moved after him, but stopped when she caught movement from the corner of her eye. She turned to Juvia, whose eyes were filled with tears.

"Juvia doesn't understand. Why did Lucy give her heart to Gray-sama?"

"I di-didn't…it was an accident, Juvia. I swear," Lucy whispered, Juvia shaking her head sharply.

"Gray-sama said you came to him to be a 'prize'. Is that true?" Lucy tried to reply, but Juvia didn't give her time. The tearful girl bolted out of the room right as the teacher managed to get a hold of the class again.

"Levy, will you go check on Juvia? I need to make sure that Natsu isn't running around the school, looking for a fight." Levy was quick to respond to Lucy's demand, following the path of the wailing girl. Grabbing her book bag, Lucy yelled a short 'sorry' to her teacher before she ran out of the classroom. At first, she was unsure where her best friend went. Her answer was soon given by a large slam in a room down the hall. Fearing the worst, Lucy ran to the classroom, surprised to find it nearly empty. The only person in there was Natsu, who was punching a wall repeatedly. She hesitated to enter the room, taking slow steps to not let her presence be known. That plan quickly faltered when her toe hit into a desk, Natsu glancing to her jumping figure.

"Ow ow ow ow ow!" Lucy wiggled her foot in the air, trying to get rid of the painful buzz bouncing between her toes. Who puts a desk that close to the entrance? That was just asking for an accident! She managed to put her aching foot back to the ground, looking back to the guy now leaning against the wall he previously punched. He wasn't looking at her, his anger nearly palpable.

"What are you doing here?"

"I came to check on you. I know how reckless you get when you're angry," She answered, closing the distance between them. "How's your mouth? I saw you were bleeding earlier."

She stopped when he scoffed, sending a sideways glare toward her.

"Shouldn't you be taking care of Gray?"

"Actually, I'm pretty sure Gray's making sure that your teacher doesn't get you two expelled for the antics you just pulled." When Natsu didn't reply, Lucy sighed and rubbed her temple. "What were you thinking, Natsu? Fighting over a contest? A pointless contest, at that?"

"It wasn't the competition that set me off. I don't need to win to know I'm better than that asshole."

"You're implying that you got into that big of a fight because of my heart?" Though she meant it as a joke, Lucy saw his shoulders tense at her suggestion.

"Not exactly," he mumbled, burying his face into his scarf. "It was the nickname comment."

"You just put your whole school progress on the line…because he said your nickname for me was cute?" She whispered, amazed when he nodded his head.

"He had your heart, with my nickname. It was like he was trying to steal you away from me completely!"

"A heart you never bothered to get." The sentence came out before she could stop herself, Lucy sure the bitterness rang through loud and clear. Natsu gave her a weird look and then looked away. He hopped up to sit on the windowsill, rubbing the back of his neck as he explained.

"Well, yeah. This year's competition was different. The goal was quantity, not quality. If I went after yours just to beat Gray, it'd just be another heart to me. But you're not just a number, even if it meant I would have gotten the win. You're Lucy, my best friend. You don't ever deserve to be grouped in with a bunch of girls I don't care about." His words were so honest, Lucy couldn't respond. Her body warmed with embarrassment, watching Natsu casually smile her way. "Besides, I was just going to steal it after the tally anyways. That way, I could wear it without the other ones crowding it. But then Gray had to go ruin everything and stole it first—"

"It doesn't matter who got my paper heart; you stole the real one years ago," Her voice echoed through the empty classroom, both sets of eyes widening with her confession.

"Did you….just say you like me?" Natsu's question only heightened Lucy's embarrassment, the blonde girl desperately trying to think of something to say. She searched his face for anything besides his confusion, hoping to be pointed in the right direction. Though he didn't seem mad or uncomfortable with her admission, he wasn't quite jumping for joy. What did that mean?

Suddenly, Lucy's panic dropped. Her tense shoulders slowly slumped, and her fear of rejection slipped into the darkness. Without reason, Lucy felt clarity she hadn't felt in years. Did it really matter what Natsu felt? Whether he liked her or not, Lucy's feelings weren't going to change. If they had stayed this strong after years of not knowing, a simple answer wouldn't shift her heart's desire to be with him. And yeah, she didn't want to think about how painful it'd be if he ran away. What girl would? But Lucy knew that, with or without his approval, Lucy's feelings for Natsu were real. Wasn't it was about time he knew that?

"Actually, Natsu…I kind of love you." Natsu's eyes widened, Lucy surrendering to her own heart's honesty. She leaned against the desk closest to the window Natsu was sitting on, sending him a defeated smile. "I've probably been in love with you since that kiss sophomore year. I was in a dark place when it happened, but your kiss saved me. It made me realize that I loved more people than just my mother. I loved you, too. I didn't really act on it because…well, I'm a teenage girl. It's really cliché to fall in love with your best friend! Plus, you didn't ever talk about the kiss after it happened, so I just assumed this feeling was one-sided. But I guess you kind of forced it out of me now."

"But you gave your heart to Gray!" Natsu's voice showed his surprise, Lucy rolling her eyes.

"If you hadn't been gloating so much, you would know it wasn't like that. I was upset because I saw you get Lisanna's heart. Gray knows about my feelings for you, so he wanted to make sure I was okay. He talked me through a little breakdown. Levy caught us talking and reminded us about the game. At that point he had to take it. Of course you two had that bet going on, and his pride got the better of him when you started insulting him. Then you punched him in the face, and here we are." Lucy glanced up at the clock, seeing that school was almost over. She wasn't sure if the teacher saw who started Natsu and Gray's fight, but Lucy was sure Gray wouldn't turn his best friend in. Between the two, Gray was more likely to keep his irritation to himself. She pushed off the desk, grabbing her book bag and slinging it over her shoulder. "I should get going; I have a feeling I have some damage control to do."

"You have to leave? Right now?" Natsu asked, Lucy letting out a slow sigh.

"Juvia's probably flooding the bathroom; I left Levy with her but I'm not sure that's going to do any good. That was another reason Gray wasn't going to bring my heart up; we didn't want her to get the wrong idea. Can I call you later?" She turned to leave, but stopped when a warm hand grasped her wrist. She glanced back at him, confused by the downcast stare he held. His leg twitched against the side of the wall, self-consciously wrapping his free hand under his bent knee.

"When I thought you were interested in Gray, my mind went blank. It felt like a part of me was being ripped away. All I remember was this huge pain in my chest, and then I was punching Gray. I know Gray normally pisses me off, but not like that. When he told me he had your heart, I didn't think of him as my friend. I just wanted to beat the shit out of him! That's not normal, is it?"

"I don't know what normal is anymore," Lucy admitted. She looked out the window, taking a slow breath and continuing. "I just know you're my best friend, and I don't want to lose you."

"I don't want that either." There was a long pause between them, tempting Lucy to pull away from Natsu's grasp. Lucy was itching to leave. Damage control was in the forefront of her mind, though she knew it was a mere distraction. If she didn't focus on something beside her lame confession, Lucy may go crazy. She built up her motivation to leave, then instantly lost it when Natsu spoke again. "But I'm not sure if that's all I want from you."

"Natsu?"

"Damnit, I've never done stuff like this before!" Tugging on his hair, Natsu groaned and leaned back against the window. Seeming frustrated by thoughts he wasn't willing to let Lucy in on, Natsu finally snapped his head quick enough to startle her. "We should hang out tomorrow."

"Tomorrow? But…but it's Valentine's day!" He nodded at her embarrassed statement, Lucy blushing when Natsu yanked her closer to him.

"I know, Luce. That's why I asked."

"So, like a date?" She didn't want to misinterpret his suggestion.

"A date could be nice," Natsu admitted, sending a crooked smile at the woman in his arms. Her mouth opened in shock, unable to respond. Even with his sheepish look, Lucy found he stole her breath. She jumped in her own skin when he pushed to his feet, the hand on her wrist sliding up her arm slowly. She felt a warmth cradle her cheek the same time Natsu pressed his forehead onto hers. She closed her eyes, her entire body trembling when his hot breath skimmed her lips. "Let's spend Valentine's day together."

"Okay," she breathed out, swept up in Natsu's aura. Since when did he have such a seductive side? And how did he turn it on so quickly? She was the one with experience, and yet her knees felt like jell-o at the feel of his slender fingers caressing her jaw-line. Her breath momentarily paused at how close he held her. Her breasts caressed his chest, emphasizing the toned body her love interest had. Her ears were tinted red when she felt him drag his nose across her cheek, nuzzling it into the crook of her neck. Every crevice of her personal space was now invaded by Natsu, and Lucy couldn't feel an ounce of regret about it. Her hands twitched at her side, itching to run her hands over every part of his body. To yank him in and kiss him senseless.

If he had used this tactic all day, he would be covered in paper hearts!

_But he didn't, _Lucy thought, her blush increasing at the revelation. _Only for me…_

"Meet at our spot at seven tomorrow, okay?" Her eyes slowly opened when a rush of cold air stung her face, Natsu pulling away. Like a light switch the intimate man she had caught a glimpse at was gone. In his place stood her grinning best friend, who sent her a thumbs up before running out of the room. She blinked slowly, unsure if the man from moments ago was real. Did she just imagine that atmosphere? Was it all in her head?

"I guess I'll find out tomorrow," Lucy whispered, unable to shake her blush for the rest of the day.

* * *

It was moments like these that Gray wished he had a time machine. School had long since been over, yet Gray continued to prowl the hallways looking for something. Or to be more specific, someone. Juvia had been missing for nearly two hours, Levy unable to find the crying girl. After checking to make sure her car was still in the parking lot, Gray sent Levy home with the promise he would make everything better. How he was planning to do that, he wasn't quite sure. Especially since he couldn't even find the upset woman! He grimaced when thinking back to the tears Juvia had when talking to Lucy.

Yup, a time machine would be really helpful. Maybe it he did, he could go back in time and knock himself out before he threw that stupid line out.

"_No wonder she gave her heart to someone else this year. Maybe she wanted it to go to someone who'd treat her like a prize instead of an expectation."_

"_I think she even wrote 'Luce' on the heart. Cute nickname."_

He had let his pride hurt others. Normally he would be the one in the group who had his head on his shoulders. Erza even complimented him once, saying he was one of the more mature students in the school.

"Yeah, that just went out the window. I don't even want to think about what Erza is going to do to us when she hears," Gray mumbled, shivering just at the thought. Shoving his hands deeper into his pockets, Gray sighed as he walked through the history department again. At this point, even the teachers had packed up and headed home. The hallways were filled with shadows from the setting sun, the lights off in each of the empty rooms. He started to walk down the vacant hallway, then paused when a soft sniffle hit his ears. Stopping to not alert whoever was there, Gray peered around the corner of one of the classrooms he had earlier assumed was vacant. There, he found the woman of the hour. Juvia's blue waves were splayed over the desk, her head buried into her arms. He didn't know how long she had been there, but he was guessing she had waited until the teachers left to sneak in. Gray silently moved into the room, the first noise he made being the creak from the door closing.

"Juvia." She tensed at her name, her tears stopping momentarily as she lifted her head towards him. So upset from the day, Juvia had yet to unpin the pink heart from her chest. He glanced from the paper to her face, which was riddled with tears. He was used to seeing Juvia cry, normally over something he inadvertently did. But knowing that this time, his actions were in his full control, made her tears much harder to see.

"Gray-sama." Juvia wiped under her eyes quickly, watching her love interest walk toward her desk. Despite her trying to clear the tears from her throat, Juvia's voice wavered. "Juvia thought everyone went home already. Juvia is sure she saw Lucy leave."

"When Levy told me she couldn't find you, I figured I'd give it a shot. I didn't expect to find you like this, though."

"Juvia can't help it. Juvia's heart is broken." Gray sighed and pulled a desk next to the one Juvia was sitting at, running his hand through his hair. This wasn't how he planned to have this conversation. He knew that he promised Lucy he would be honest with Juvia, but seeing her tears was making it hard. How many crying girls did he have to deal with in one day before the fates were satisfied with torturing him?

"I never meant to hurt you, Juvia. And if you'd listen, I'd like to explain what happened with Lucy. The last thing I want is for you and Lucy's friendship to be hindered because of me." Gray kept his voice soft, trying not to set off Juvia's unstable emotions. He took her quiet nod as a sign that it was safe to continue. "I had Lucy's heart because of Natsu."

"Gray-sama made that very known in class." Silently groaning, Gray wanted to slap his previous self. He really had made a mess out of this, hadn't he?

"No, no. I mean...Lucy loves Natsu. And I think you know that," Gray replied, Juvia glancing to the sunset reflecting in the window.

"Juvia has noticed her attraction to Natsu."

"And Natsu really hurt her with the competition. She was crying, and I knew she needed a friend to talk to. I just picked a really bad day to do it." Gray watched Juvia's eyes slightly water, though she took a quiet breath to calm herself.

"So Gray-sama isn't interested in Lucy? Juvia…could understand why Gray-sama would prefer Juvia's friend over Juvia." The question made Gray scowl, crossing his arms on the desk and tilting his head to try and look at her.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Juvia knows Gray-sama doesn't like her brash love. Juvia is not stupid, in the least." She pushed a strand of hair behind her ear, her sad smile pulling on something in Gray's chest. "Gray-sama is a kind man, for coming to find Juvia. But Juvia won't make Gray-sama waste anymore time. Juvia is not Gray-sama's responsibility, so he doesn't need to worry about Juvia anymore."

"Juvia?" He watched her cheeks flush from just hearing him say her name, but it didn't erase the broken look in her face.

"Juvia loves Gray-sama, so very much. But Juvia doesn't want to pain Gray-sama with her tears anymore. So please, leave Juvia be." His frowned at the tremble in her voice, despite her attempt to be strong for him. Though she was still the emotional girl he had met freshman year, Gray was impressed with her evolution. When they first met, Juvia was erratic on her best days. She practically stalked him every day, using huge performances to prove her 'undying love' for him. She would make signs, wear t-shirts, anything that would embarrass Gray and entertain the entire school.

The years had given her a maturity that only came with age. To say she never confessed again would be a lie; he would still find random letters of endearment shoved underneath his windshield wiper. She was his biggest cheerleader at any sport he participated in, and she made sure to volunteer for the same charity events he did. But she had started to learn what space meant, too. She had joined the swim team, something that had pleasantly surprised him. Thought part of his pleasure came from the mandatory swimsuit (hey, Gray was a teenage boy), most came from her decision to do something all on her own. She invited him to every meet she had, but didn't cry if he couldn't go. Freshman year, she would have been desperate to have him there. She probably wouldn't have even competed if he declined her offer. And he knew from her own admission that she performed much better when knowing he was in the stands. Without his presence, Juvia was still a competitor. She had started to grow her own personality, something that hadn't gone unnoticed by Gray.

"I guess this is going to have to do." Gray's quiet mumble made Juvia look to him, slightly confused as he got up from his seat. He moved around to stand in front of her, his hands curling around the edges the desk top. She didn't move back when he entered her personal space, breathing in the masculine scent she had memorized for years. Though many things changed on her beloved over the years, his woodsy smell made her heart race consistently. But why was Gray staring at her so seriously?

"Gray-sama?"

"I know…sometimes I get frustrated with you. I also know I haven't been the kindest person to your advances, and I'm sorry about that. Never, in the four years that we've known each other, have I intentionally made you cry." Juvia's eyes widened when Gray's knuckled brushed along her cheek, tracing the tear marks from earlier. "And I made a promise to Lucy today, when comforting her about Natsu. That by the end of the day, I would make my feelings clear for you.

"I'm insensitive, sometimes. Sometimes I can get a little self-centered, and forget that your feelings are just as justified as my own. And I can see that my pride is a big source of pain for you; I know this wasn't the first time my mouth has said the wrong thing to you. Any other girl in your position would have left so long ago. I know this because many have. I think that, by you staying by my side for long, I've taken your feelings for granted."

"Juvia isn't perfect either," She whispered, Gray smirking slightly.

"I think I know that better than most." She blushed at his honestly, and then melted when he captured her cheek in his hand. "But I've learned that I prefer your company over your absence."

"What does that mean?"

"If right now, you told me you were leaving…I wouldn't let you. Because, though I don't deserve your adoration, though I've taken you for granted way too many times, I do want you by my side." She tensed when his hand slid down her neck, both blushing when his fingertips brushed the swell of her breast. He was really trying not to enjoy the feel of soft flesh in his hand, though Juvia seemed thrilled at the touch. His hand stopped on the paper heart, his eyes glancing up to her with determination. "I know you've given me this every year. But, I'd like to ask this time; may I steal your heart?"

Juvia nearly passed out, her heartbeat doubling at the sliver of a smile Gray presented to her. Nodding so fast she was sure she was going to break her neck, Juvia's tears returned when he pinned the heart on his chest. He looked down at it and then blinked.

"Juvia…did you draw us getting married?"

"Gray-sama would look so amazing in a tuxedo!" Juvia's dreamy swoon made Gray sigh, shaking his head. He sent her an annoyed look that showed his disproval of the design.

"I don't do marriage." Her smile deflated, only returning when Gray presented his hand to her. He glanced out the window, Juvia catching the color change of his cheeks. "But I do dates. With you, tomorrow. If you're free."

"A Valentine's date? Of course!" She squeaked out, now positive her heart would stop working. She grasped his hand, letting him lead her out to her car. She whined while he scolded her for clinging to his arm, complaining he didn't take 'needy girls' on dates.

Despite his words, Gray couldn't keep the small smile from staining his lips every time he caught a glimpse of Juvia's smile.

**And that's the end of chapter two! So now we've got some romantic dates going on for Valentine's day. But what about the night before? Two other couples take the stage (for one, literally) in the next chapter. So I hope you review and wait for my next segment!**

**Chapter Three:**** Breaking Through the Past**


	3. Breaking Through the Past

**Hello my lovelies! I know that it's been forever, and I also know that I am updating this before The Astrologist (Still getting edited!) but I figured something was better than nothing! So I hope that you all enjoy this =D**

**Disclaimer:** **I do not, under any circumstance, own Fairy Tail. But I totally own the play! **

**Chapter Three: Breaking Through the Past**

Levy tried not to get her hopes up. It was possible she hadn't heard it right; the music she had been playing when answering her phone had been pretty loud. It was her favorite way to study; a habit she was sure she inherited from a certain metal head. She leaned across her bed to shut off her computer, clearing her throat to hide her shock.

"I'm sorry, Lu-chan, but I think I heard that wrong. Did you say Natsu asked you on a date?"

"That's exactly what I said!" The voice on the other line was mixed with both joy and panic. Levy could understand why. Natsu and Lucy had been dancing around their feelings for so long, they were bound to trip over each other eventually. She just didn't expect it to take years! Levy flopped back on her bed, staring up at the ceiling of her bedroom.

"I hope you said yes."

"It was so sudden; I don't even know what I said. I mean, I'm pretty sure it was a yes? We did almost kiss afterwards—" And just like that, Levy shot back up in a pure shock.

"_Kiss?!_" The fangirl inside of her screamed in joy, and partially outside from the giggle she released. "Why didn't you?"

"I don't know! This all just seems so rushed; last night I would have never thought that Natsu would actually return my feelings. Now we're going on a Valentine's date. It's a lot to sort through."

"But isn't it a good thing?" When silence was the only response she got, Levy continued. "You've had major feelings for Natsu for years; and finally he's showing interest in you. I think it's a great thing that he's making a move. He really does like you, Lu-chan. Natsu just takes some time to get his feelings out properly."

"I'm just…nervous." Lucy's concerned tone made Levy scowl, disliking the negative vibe.

"About what?"

"Well, he asked me _after _I told him that I…I loved him. But he never said it back. He just got really confused! Before I really could gauge his feelings, he was asking me on a date. But the date kind of proves that he likes me, right? Natsu wouldn't just toy with my emotions like that; he's my best friend! But he wouldn't want to hurt me either. I think I'm even more confused than I was before I called you."

"It's just like you to over think things like this," Levy said, laughter tingeing her voice. "He was probably so caught up with the fact that you said it to him, that he didn't even think to say it back. I think that you should just go on the date and see what happens."

"I'm just scared that this is going to ruin our friendship. He was there for everything, Lev. Even when mom passed. If he doesn't reciprocate my feelings, I can deal with that. But if this put a wedge between our friendship I don't know what I'd do."

"Then you really just need to let him take the lead. Trust me; all men are basically made of the same formula. If they know a girl is interested in them, and they like them, the guy will make it known." She didn't bring up Gray, knowing he was one of the rare exceptions. Honestly, that guy didn't fit into any normal male equation Levy could think of. Then again, he did strip unconsciously…

"Did Gajeel tell you he loved you first?" The abrupt question had Levy's face on fire, the small girl fanning her cheeks while shaking her head.

"What? N-No…"

"You did?" Levy nearly choked on the next question, knowing the frigid winds of the Arctic wouldn't cool her down.

"Neither one of us has said it!" There was a lull in the conversation, leaving Levy time to try and cool herself down. Her embarrassment shot right back up when she heard a snicker on the other side of the phone.

"Haven't you two been fooling around for a year now? Having sex without dropping the big three words is almost _scandalous_ for a good girl like you."

"You can't call me for advice and then make fun of me!" Full blown laughter came from her receiver, and Levy rolled over to smother her face into her pillow. How did the conversation flip so easily? This was the last time she tried to be a good friend.

"I'm sorry! Really, I don't mean to laugh. I just assumed that you two had already talked about this subject, since you're practically dating. I know he doesn't do labels, but you two were bitten by the love bug a long time ago. I assumed that was the only reason you dealt with his lack of title."

"It's just never come up," Levy mumbled into her pillow, knowing Lucy could decipher her muffled sentence.

"Don't you think it's time to talk about it? I mean, Valentine's Day is tomorrow." As if Levy didn't know that. Though Gajeel didn't like the celebration, Levy did. Ever since she was a little girl, she loved reading about people who met on the fateful date of love. Proposals, weddings, all sorts of love confessions happened around this time of year. The only reason Lucy and Natsu were finally taking that next step was because of Valentine's Day! So then why couldn't Gajeel see how important this holiday could be for the two of them?

"Maybe," she mumbled, knowing she wouldn't bring up the sensitive subject. The last thing she wanted to do was get into another fight with Gajeel.

Gajeel's love reputation wasn't exactly a sealed FBI file. Even before coming to Magnolia high school, Levy had heard of Gajeel. He was known for two things; fighting and sex. He apparently did both like a champ, even at his young age. Sex was Gajeel's version of dating. Though he was known for what he could do with his hips, his number of 'girlfriends' was in the single digits. He only slept with the same girl for a short period of time before ending it abruptly. When Levy tried to learn more about Gajeel's past, she had gone to Juvia for answers. Juvia had explained that Gajeel tried to keep the 'sex-ships' short, so nobody would catch feelings. As soon as Gajeel got the inkling that the other person was trying to push the envelope, he would dump them for another girl. It was a past that Gajeel tended not to talk about with Levy.

It also changed when he met the blue-haired girl. At first, the two of them hadn't gotten along quite well. Juvia had begged their friends to play nice with Gajeel, the two being transferred together freshman year. Juvia joined the group easily, but the guarded guy took much longer. Almost instantly he took issue with Levy, the two butting heads for the first few weeks. But when Levy realized that Gajeel was in danger of getting kicked out of school because of his slipping grades, the girl's kind heart took over. She offered Gajeel help studying, and he reluctantly agreed (after Juvia "talked" to him). They spent the rest of freshman year together, getting to know each other past their first impressions.

This was the same time span that Gajeel stopped sleeping around. Though girls would still try to make passes, Gajeel would use the study sessions as excuses. Levy started to notice his desire to focus on school instead of girls. Well, except for one blue-haired study partner. As the days went on, Levy caught Gajeel watching her through their study sessions. He'd walk her to her car during the winter nights, claiming it was too dangerous for someone so little to be alone. Christmas vacation left no reason for the two to see each other, until Gajeel asked Levy to go gift shopping with him. It was an excuse she knew, and Levy happily accepted it.

The excuses to see each other came more often through the second half of their freshman year, to the displeasure of every girl in the school. He never tried anything with her; Gajeel barely even touched her. Even when she started to want his advances, and left hints for him to grab her hand or put his arm around her, Gajeel didn't cross the line. Maybe it was that built up frustration that burst on the last day of school, when Gajeel proudly showed Levy his passing grades. Without thinking, Levy excitedly kissed Gajeel, shocking both of them. Gajeel recovered first, which was obvious when he kissed her for a second time.

The rest was history. A history that did _not _include titles or declarations of love.

She sighed as she turned her face toward the window in her room, watching the sunlight reflect off the glass. It would be dark soon; she could tell by the shadow that was casted against the rock hitting her window. She blinked at the out of place object, slowly sitting up in confusion. A few moments later, another rock ricocheted off the glass. "Lucy, I have to go."

"Eh? Is everything okay?" She had already scampered off her bed, pushing the window open enough to stick her head out. She instantly scowled at the cocky grin that greeted her.

"I'll check in with you later." The two exchanged goodbyes before Levy hung up the phone, tossing the device back to her bed before glancing out her window again. "Gajeel, what are you doing here?"

"I figured re-enacting the Rapunzel fairy tale would be fun, till I realized your hair is way too short." Sarcasm, thy name was Gajeel. Levy huffed at his response, tempted to shut the window and call it a night. Instead, she listened to his second reply. "Obviously I came to see you, so stop being rude and come open the door."

"Do you know what time it is? I don't have time to deal with you; I have tons of homework to do."

"On a Friday? Jeeze, you really are a nerd." He snickered again, Levy crossing her arms to show her lack of amusement.

"Some of us don't wait until the day it's due to finish it."

"In my defense, I'm passing most of my classes."

"That's supposed to make me feel better?" She sighed as she leaned her head against the side of her window. "You're hopeless, Gajeel."

"And stubborn. Now come open this door before I break it open." Though Gajeel sounded fierce, Levy rolled her eyes in disbelief.

"My dad would kick your butt up this street and back."

"It's a good thing he took your pretty little mom to Cancun for Valentine's Day, huh?" Though he didn't mean to, Gajeel brought up the very reason Levy didn't feel like seeing him. Lowering her gaze, Levy tried not to let the overly perceptive man catch onto her lack of a rebuttal. Though Gajeel didn't push himself in school, he was extremely good at people watching. He could tell someone's mood, opinion, even predict some of their next words, all based on their facial expressions or body language. It was a talent that the smartest of men had yet to conquer, yet Gajeel did it with ease. It was probably why he was so good at trash talking; he could read just what words would send someone off the edge the quickest.

Levy prayed his intuition had a cold on this particular night.

"I'll meet you down there, just stop making a scene." She shut the window, shivering when realizing just how cold the February air had become. Jogging down her stairs, Levy opened the door to a scowling Gajeel.

"What's your problem, shrimp?" So he did notice. She had to be faster next time. She evaded the question, walking out of the hallway and into the kitchen. He followed without invitation, making himself comfortable at the island in the middle of the cooking space. Levy opened the refrigerator, tossing Gajeel a Dr. Pepper while she grabbed herself cherry flavored water. "You mom bought me more?"

"Before they left, they filled my fridge with whatever they assumed I'd need. Dad said the couple steaks in the freezer are all yours, if you don't burn the house down."

"I knew I liked those two for a reason." A part of her warmed at how much her parents adored Gajeel. She knew it wasn't something Gajeel expected from the get-go. From his tattoos, piercings, and unapproachable look, Levy was sure he wasn't used to positive interactions. But Levy got her ability to accept everyone from her welcoming parents. Levy had introduced them after the two had become sexually involved; something Gajeel had dragged his feet about. He was even more hostile when meeting new people, something she was sure he had trained himself to do. That guarded nature was broken in record speed when her mother hugged him, her father welcoming him with an understanding smile. Gajeel's bulldog attitude hadn't scared either of them, both asking him to stay for dinner. They complimented his table manners (something Levy knew he only used around her parents) and how well he took care of so much hair. Levy was pleasantly surprised at how well the three of them hit it off.

Almost two years later, Gajeel and her parents were as thick as thieves.

"How did you know about my parent's trip?" She asked, sitting on the opposite side of the island. He smirked, leaning over to poke her forehead.

"Your mother left me a voicemail before they left. Asked me to check up on you every now and then."

"Does me being eighteen mean nothing?" Levy asked, shaking Gajeel's finger from her forehead. He laughed as she nearly shook herself off the stool, reaching out to grab her shoulder and steady her.

"Woman, be lucky your parents are here to worry." She glanced over at him, knowing that Gajeel didn't have that particular luxury. He had emancipated himself years ago; his parents were long gone. The only thing he went home to at night was Panther Lily, a cat he treated better than any human.

"Sorry," she mumbled, closing her eyes when he messed her hair up.

"Don't worry about it, shrimp."

"You enjoy calling me that way too much." He grinned at her smirk, but didn't argue her statement. Feeling annoyed with multiple things involving Gajeel, she pushed the conversation forward. "So that's all you wanted to talk about?"

"You'd like that, wouldn't you?" Levy slowly blinked at the sudden change of Gajeel's mood. The smirk that had been teasing his lips all night was gone, a look of irritation now appearing. His shoulders had tensed slightly, as if anticipating a fight. The whole aura he was giving off was making her nervous. What had just changed? "I heard that flame-brain and ice-pop got into some steal-a-heart competition today. I heard that part of it was your fault."

"I saw them getting into another fight, so I just gave them a non-violent option. Except then it got really violent." Which was also her fault, though she didn't say that part out loud. She was already feeling guilty enough without Gajeel's boisterous input on the situation. Pushing through that feeling, Levy tried to force a smile. "I never expected the competition to be so close!"

"Who did you expect to win?" She glanced over at him, surprised to see his arms crossed and glare activated. What did that have to do with his need to talk to her?

"I know a lot of people thought Gray was going to blow Natsu out of the water, but I kind of saw it the other way around. Natsu's got a really infectious and warming personality; it's hard not to want to root for him. He's like the underdog with a serious bite that you can't ignore." She giggled as the image of Natsu the bulldog popped into her head. She wasn't sure if pink was the best color for a canine, but she knew somehow her energetic friend would pull it off.

"Is that how the flame-brain got your heart?" Levy sighed, not noticing the clenching of Gajeel's teeth.

"Everyone keeps asking me that. Really, it was all an accident; he just caught me by surprise. I guess he knows me a little better than I thought." It made sense, she realized. Lucy was her best friend, and he was always with her. He had to pick up on some things about her, even if he wasn't as perceptive as Gajeel. They also knew each other before high school. They had been in the same school system since they were in elementary school. Levy's love of books wasn't exactly a secret, either. So why was everyone so confused about how he got her heart? In fact, why did everyone care?

"So the guy that you were rooting for to win the competition just happens to get your heart? A guy you have nothing but nice things to say? Like the idiot is prince charming or something? Seems really fishy." Levy felt her blood boil at the implication Gajeel made, the short girl jumping off her stool.

"What are you trying to say?"

"Look, if you gave the flame-brain your heart, just admit it. I ain't here to play games, shrimp." He tried to sound casual in his accusation, his fist supporting his cheek as he leaned on the counter top. His eyes didn't meet hers, instead finding interest in the wall across the kitchen.

"_Gajeel_…" His spine straightened at the anger shaking her voice. Seeming to realize his error, Gajeel looked over to Levy's trembling form. Little fists were next to her side, her eyes closed while her cheeks rising in color.

"What's your problem?" Levy twitched at his comment, as if something snapped inside her. He jumped when she appeared in front of him, her eyes glaring daggers into him.

"Are you trying to say I _wanted _Natsu to get my heart? That I gave it to him like a girl with a schoolyard crush?!" Levy shouted, Gajeel's look of panic only pausing her for a second. She hit his chest repetitively, showing he had crossed a line. "What kind of idiot are you? Do you have rocks in your brain? Why did I have to fall for such a huge moron!"

"W-who are you calling a moron?" He grabbed her wrist when she moved to hit him again, but kept his grip light. She squeaked when he rose out of his seat, the stool clattering to the floor behind them. Her surprise only lasted a second before she tried to pull out of his hold, shaking her head.

"You! To think that I have any interest in anyone but you is crazy!" He blushed at her response, Levy's anger slowly simmering as her look turned border line painful. "Do you really think I'd go fool around with another guy after all these years?"

"As if I'd let you," He sneered, yanking the smaller girl into him. He released her wrist to grab her chin, making sure she heard his next sentence. "You're mine, got that?"

"Then why don't you own up to that?" Levy's voice wavered at her question, a dejected look filling her eyes.

"What are you talking about?"

"I want to be yours, completely." Her bold statement left them both blushing, but Levy was too far in to let her nerves ruin it. "I want to be your girlfriend. I want to go out on dates; I want to be more than just the girl you have sex with. Because you mean more to me than that! But, if I don't fit into your future plans, then I don't want to keep doing this run around."

"You think I just use you for sex?" Levy squeaked when she was lifted, her butt dropping onto the island countertop. Gajeel moved to stand between her legs, making the smaller girl blush. The position was compromising, but from the serious look on his face, she knew he wasn't thinking about that at the moment. "If I only wanted to fuck, you think I'd be checking up on you? You think I gave any of those girls' mothers my phone number? You think I talked to their dads? I couldn't have given two shits about their lives outside the bedroom. You're not one of those girls. You've _never _been one of them in my book."

"Then I don't understand. Why—"

"Because people are going to give you problems if you're my girlfriend, shrimp." He ran a hand through his hair before placing both palms on the countertop, skimming the outside of her thighs. She shivered at the touch, trying not to blush. "I'm not the nicest guy; I don't try to pretend I am. I make enemies like Natsu makes stupid remarks. The last thing I want to do is drag you any further into my crazy life. Except for our friends, most people don't really know about us. If we get official, it won't be long until Lucy or one of your other bonehead friends let it slip out. Then it'll be the talk of the school, and you'll have to deal with past girls. And there's a good amount of them. Some aren't nice people either."

"I can handle it." He sent her an arched eyebrow, Levy confidently nodding. "No matter what comes my way, I can deal with it. I'll even take lessons with Erza if I have to!"

"You? Fighting?" Gajeel laughed loudly, patting the top of Levy's head while she pouted.

"What's so funny?"

"You're way too much of a lover to be a fighter."

"T-that's not true!"

"You feel bad scratching me during sex." She flushed instantly at his accusation, though she couldn't deny that. One time, during a very aggressive sex session, Levy had drawn blood by how hard she had scratched him. She remembered him having to calm her down after she broke down into tears. He smirked at her reaction, knowing they were thinking about the same incident. Leaning closer, he playfully mumbled his next sentence against the side of her mouth. "So tell me, why would I ever let you throw fists with someone?"

"Because you're supposed to fight for the ones you love." Her words took him by surprise, but he only basked in the glow of shock for a few seconds before his cocky grin fill his face.

"You trying to tell me something, shorty?" He felt her hands capture his cheeks, glancing from the corner of his eye. He lost his breath when Levy's smile reflected in her sparkling eyes.

"Do I have to spell it out for you? I thought you were smarter than that." She giggled when he nipped at her nose and then nuzzled the bite mark with his own.

"Maybe I'd just like to hear my girlfriend say it properly." Her eyes widened instantly, his worn skin cupping one of her hands against his face.

"Ga-Ga…" He saw her lips moving, and snickered when no sound came out. Deciding to capitalize on the moment, Gajeel yanked Levy into his arms, carrying the light girl out of the kitchen. It wasn't hard to jog up the stairs with Levy, walking toward the room he knew was hers. He nipped at her ear and cupped her ass in his hands, making sure his next sentence dripped with lust.

"Don't worry, shrimp; I have ways of getting the answer I want."

* * *

Erza Scarlet was not a woman who was scared easily. It just wasn't in her nature. If something ruffled her feathers, or made her feel uneasy, she'd smite it down and carry on with her life. She didn't hide or try to ignore things that disturbed her. She knew that would just prolong her fear. She had always made it her goal to teach her friends the power of facing things head on. Exams, auditions, it didn't matter. Erza never let her fear deter her from her goals.

But then again, Erza had never been asked on a date before.

"You can do this," she whispered to herself, trying to quell the uneasy feelings in her stomach. She looked toward the clock in the center of the park she was standing in, seeing she was a half hour early. She smoothed out the slinky black dress she had worn; assuring herself every wrinkle had been dealt with appropriately in her hour of preparation. She probably would have spent longer getting ready, if she had it. But the date had been thrown into her lap just hours before, and Erza was still reeling from it.

It wasn't every day Jellal Fernandez asks you to be his valentine.

_She wasn't sure why she was being asked to come to the auditorium. She wasn't in charge of any events involving the space, unless you counted the alcohol awareness presentation going on the next week. But even that she hadn't been directly in charge of. She was simply given the task to make sure the teachers were aware of the schedule change for that day. Her part had been done days ago. But when she heard her name on the intercom, she didn't hesitate to leave her history class. It hadn't even started yet, and she hoped to be back before she missed too much._

_She opened the doors at the top of the auditorium, surprised to find the entire space pitch black. She hesitated before walking forward, wondering if the office had gotten the location wrong. It was Meredy who had so excitedly called her name. Though Meredy was a very good office intern, the ditzy intern was easily distracted by the gossip of the school or an attractive boy walking by. _

_Meredy wasn't always like that. In fact, most of the theatre group had a lot of troubled pasts when they first got transferred. Meredy and her best friend, Ultear Milkovich, had been a part of a gang in their middle school years. 'Grimoire Hearts' was run by some pretty nasty people and the two orphan girls happened to be swept into the madness at a young age. Luckily they got out by the time they made it to high school. Though they had never been a part of the serious criminal activity, both felt guilty for the pain they had caused others throughout their years working with the gang. They kept to themselves for most of freshman year, until Jellal invited them to join the new theatre club, 'Crime Sorciere'. Jellal knew the meaning of a bad past. At age nine he had watched his mother go crazy and stab his father to death in front of him. She would have killed Jellal too, had Jellal not beaten her into unconsciousness with a flashlight. For years after, Jellal's life was torn apart by trials, doctors, and strangers whose main purpose were to claim him crazy and lock him away. His mother was in jail for life, which she continued to blame on her 'traitorous son'. His life started to stabilize when he hit high school, but by then he had pushed everyone away. It was a story everyone knew, yet nobody dared to talk about. It was probably why many stayed away from him._

_Erza stopped at the top of one of the stairways, wondering if she should go to the office instead. Before she could turn, Erza saw a flash of light in the corner of her eye. A spotlight was flashed in the middle of the seats, her name taped to the back of the chair. _

"_Natsu, Gray, or whatever childish prankster this is. If this is a joke, you will be punished immediately for your waste of my time and the resources of the school. You are being warned to stop now, while your identity is still obscured." Erza's voice echoed through the empty auditorium, and she waited for a response of some sort. When the only thing she received was the spotlight flicking off and on again, Erza quietly sighed. So the fools were willing to take their prank all the way, huh? Smirking at their boldness, Erza moved to the seat that had been labeled for her. She turned to the stage when the spotlight disappeared, the stage lit with a dusky yellow. _

"_Please, enjoy the show." A familiar voice entered the speakers of the auditorium, but Erza couldn't place it. It was a male, but soft enough to keep the owner's identity disclosed. Erza didn't have much time to dissect it, a shadowed person walking onto the stage. A mask covered the actor's face, and the blue hoodie they wore gave no hints as to who they were. A background of school lockers dropped down on the stage, and a soundtrack of kids in a hallway played. The actor in the blue sweatshirt walked toward the side of the stage, leaning on a locker. The male voice spoke again._

"_He met her freshman year; she was the epitome of grace and beauty." More masked people started to fill the stage, though they all wore different colored sweatshirts. They were walking around, pretending to chat with the other actors or put books into the fake lockers. A light blue sweatshirt conversed with a yellow sweatshirt, both equal in short status. A tall black hoodie stood near the two, with crossed arms and a careless attitude. The pink and grey sweatshirts started to fight in the center of the stage, and Erza laughed at their antics. If she didn't know any better, she'd think they were mirroring a Gray and Natsu altercation. _

"_Enough boys!" She stopped her laughter when she saw another actor appear on the stage, wearing a color that was a familiar scarlet red. She watched the newcomer jump onto the two fighting, breaking up the fight with less than peaceful tactics. The pink and gray sweatshirts retreated quickly, as did most of the other actors when a bell sounded in the play. The only two left were the blue and red sweatshirts, the latter taking center stage while her counterpart watched from the side. _

"_In that moment, the color of her hair captivated his soul."After the announcer's statement, the light on the stage flashed off. She didn't know the owner of the voice, but his statement made her cheeks blush. She subconsciously ran a finger through her ponytail, glancing around the empty auditorium. Just who was behind this? She glanced back to the stage when the light flashed back on. The new scene was that of an office, one that she knew very well. After all, only principal Makarov had a chair that increased the height of the person sitting in it. The person sitting in said chair wore a white sweatshirt, with the red and blue sweatshirt sitting at the table across from each other. It was a familiar scene, and Erza watched her memory played out in front of her._

"_Then we have an agreement? The two shall work together to create harmony in the school. I look forward to seeing the two of you becoming a united team." Blue and Red shook hands at White's words, and then the actor in red left. Erza assumed the scene would end, as this was where her memory of the event did. But she watched it continue, her eyes widening when the white sweatshirt spoke again. "This was a very wonderful plan. But why not tell her it was your idea?"_

_The actor in blue didn't speak, the light dimming on the ending scene. The voiceover came back._

"_He wanted to help the school, but there were other reasons that were far too self-centered to tell anyone. He wanted to get to know her better. Her warmth lit up his dark life." The words that reverberated through the auditorium were making Erza cover her cheeks, her embarrassment reaching new heights. She watched a beam of light follow the red sweatshirt's walk across the stage, surrounded by the other colors again. The blue sweatshirt stood alone, while the others seemed entranced by the red sweatshirt. "But she was loved by so many, and he was nobody. Her friends filled the entire school, while he only had his small theatre group. She was a queen in need of a king, not a dark knight who did his best work when playing someone else. He wasn't worthy. So he kept his distance."_

"_You didn't have to," Erza said, glancing up toward the sound booth. It was dark, and she couldn't see anyone in the box. She turned forwards again, eyes watering at the lonely image of the blue sweatshirt on the stage. She knew exactly what was going on now, as well as who was narrating this story. But it didn't stop her question of 'why' from echoing in her head. She pressed her hand to her chest, the pink paper scraping the smooth skin of her palm. She could feel a tinge of pain biting at her real heart. Why was he re-enacting their story, if it only ended in sadness?_

_The next scene was surrounded around the classroom Erza had started to hang out in during her junior year. Two new sweatshirts entered the playing field; a purple and bubblegum pink color. Erza now understood the significance of the colors. They represented important people in each one's lives. The three feminine sweatshirts spoke while the blue one stood to the side, watching the red sweatshirt as he had in so many scenes._

"_He couldn't understand why she started to show up at the black box, or looked after the theater group. They were misfits; they didn't get along with many others. But she treated them as equals. She promoted shows, and volunteered to sell tickets despite her overflowing schedule. She cheered loudly for his comrades, befriended them. She congratulated them on every play. And it made it harder for him to push her away. Especially _that _day." _

_Erza's eyes weren't prepared for the bright light of the stage or the new outside landscape that presented itself to her. The table in the middle of the stage was reminiscent of the lunch-in the two had shared in the courtyard. True to the memory, the red and blue sweatshirt were at the table, making Erza hesitate to look. Like her own brain was being played out on the stage, she watched the hand of the red sweatshirt pull her counterpart over the table, as if to kiss. And just like the end of the actual lunch, the blue sweatshirt pushed away, and made a quick exit. The red sweatshirt was left alone, the light disappearing on the lunch scene. A spotlight flashed onto the man who had just run away, now on his knees at the edge of the stage. He pressed his gloved hands to his mask, as if crying. _

"_He wanted to accept the offer, but he knew he would never come to be a man who could stand by her side and be worthy. Despite his companions' encouraging words, he couldn't tarnish the queen's beautiful light. So, he forced himself to accept the darkness as his own." Erza watched the purple and pink sweatshirts return, shaking their fingers at the blue man. He slowly rose from the ground with the help of the two friends, who then quickly ran off the stage. Now he was alone, with nothing but a dim light glowing above him. Erza was on the edge of her seat, hands clasped over her lap. _

"_That is why he—" Jellal's voice was cut off on the speaker, an obvious commotion coming through the speakers. Erza went to look behind her, but a voice from the stage caught her interest._

"_We can't accept this ending." Erza blinked at the strangely feminine voice that came from the stage where the blue hooded figure stood. "And you shouldn't either."_

"_E-eh?" Erza squeaked out, unsure if this was part of the play or not. She was sure it wasn't when the hood went flying off, black hair flowing down over the shoulders. The actor ripped the mask off, and Erza squeaked when she realized who she was faced with. "Ultear?"_

_The actress sent a confident smirk, and Erza suddenly realized what block it was. The final class of the day for Fine Arts was theatre, which is why she thought it strange to see Meredy in the office. She must have used her internship as a way to get Erza to the auditorium. Which explained why Jellal was in the sound booth and a performance could be put on in the middle of the school day. Was this something they had been working on in class? Ultear took a deep breath, then pointed toward the stunned red-head. _

"_We've had enough of you two abusing yourselves for the sake of the other. So we've hi-jacked this play to make it our own. Right, Meredy?" A giggled from the sound booth was heard before the door was kicked open, Erza jerking her head up. There stood the once masked actor wearing the red sweatshirt. Now Erza understood the hoodies and masks. Meredy's pink hair was noticeable, even in the darkness. It was almost as bright as Jellal's, who was being dragged down the stairs by the bubbly girl. He stumbled on the step near Erza's seat, his eyes looking anywhere but the student council president as the two passed. Meredy sent the bewildered girl a wink before hopping up on the stage, dragging the mortified theatre president with her._

"_Hate to break the fourth wall, but it was totally necessary in this case. You'll forgive us, right Erza?"_

"_So this part wasn't part of the original play," Erza said, Meredy nodding with a giggle._

"_Nope, Jellal had no clue about this!" Meredy yelped when Jellal finally broke away from her hold._

"_What are you two doing?" He was trying to put up a front, but Erza could see the hue of red on his face from where she sat. _

"_You see that girl out there?" Ultear was once again pointing to Erza, who now tensed when a spotlight was shone on her. "She doesn't deserve an apology; she deserves a happy ending."_

"_You are ending this with 'This is why he asks for her forgiveness' and all that sad stuff. It just doesn't work! You need to make an ending that suits your audience. Which we all know is Erza." Meredy's bright smile didn't rub off on Jellal, whose eyes were downcast._

"_I just wanted to tell her how sorry I was for all the confusion I've put her through. I don't deserve more from her, and I've already accepted that."_

"_Why do you constantly put yourself down, Jellal? We've all had undesirable pasts, it's no secret. That's why we became friends. That's why we have worked so hard to make something of our theatre group. To prove to those we have hurt or let down that we're making something worthwhile of ourselves. You've always stood by Meredy and I's side, claiming this group is how we get retribution. Meredy and I have started on the path of healing; we've let Erza in to help. Yet you won't allow her closer than arm's distance."_

"_I won't make another person be burdened with my darkness! With the craziness that may lurk within me. What you and Meredy did was acceptable; you were young and trying to survive. You left before their evil could truly infect you. But my path has been determined since the moment I was born with her blood. And knowing what I could become…I have to be strong on my own." Both Meredy and Ultear frowned at Jellal's dismal statement, unsure of what to say to change their leader's mind. Instead, it was a voice from the audience that replied._

"_You claim nobody can help you with your path, Jellal." Erza's confident strides down the aisle showed she was set on whatever her mind had decided about the situation that unfolded in front of her. She hopped onto the stage like a professional, her hands pressing to her hips as she stared at the somber man in front of her. Narrowed eyes sparked with fire as she spoke again. "Yet you refuse to allow me or anyone in to try and help."_

"_It's nobody's pain and guilt to heal. If I wish to be a leader, I need to be strong despite my demons." Even as he spoke, his eyes couldn't face her. _

"_While that may be true, it doesn't mean that you have to face these emotions alone. I may be strong, but it's not because I can withstand pain longer than my friends. It's because I know when to fight, and when to let my friends aid me." Jellal's gaze rose up to meet hers when she placed her hands on his shoulders, giving him a strong nod. "I know my strengths, as well as my weaknesses. I know the demons that keep me up at night. If I can do something on my own, then I will. But if I know letting someone else help me will lead to a better outcome, I ask for their help. That's the true showing of a strong leader; knowing when to ask for aid from your companions." _

"_Erza…" his voice trembled at her name, the red head sending him a smile._

"_I think you're a good person, Jellal. The many years I've worked with you had proven that. Whatever demons or past ghosts that try to tell you differently, just remember; I believe in you. And with Ultear and Meredy helping you out, I'm positive you'll be even stronger than you even imagined." Hoping her message got through, Erza turned to his two grinning companions._

"_As for you two—" Both straightened at her serious glare. "It seems many people had put a lot of work into this play; to change the ending for whatever your reasons is not a way to show them respect for their hard work."_

"_We told them, I swear!" Meredy said quickly, bowing her head toward Erza._

"_It was the consensus of the group to change the ending. They were all very worried about Jellal taking on so much guilt alone." Ultear's answer was a little more explanatory, shaking her head at the bowing girl. Erza crossed her arms, but sent them a small smile._

"_You two are very good friends. Please, promise you'll stay with Jellal and help him. He's a promising man." _

"_Only if he stops acting like Batman." At Ultear's snarky comment the three girls laughed. Erza's laughter slowed when she felt a poke on her chest. She blinked and looked down at Meredy's finger, which was stabbing into the paper heart on Erza's shirt._

"_Not to be the bearer of bad news, but you did talk to Jellal before the school day was over. Which means you owe him your heart!"Erza wanted to instantly argue, knowing her face was instantly turning red. But before she started, Erza took a small breath and nodded her head._

"_I suppose you're right," Erza mumbled, smiling despite her own embarrassment. Glancing back toward the man in question, Erza turned and confidently stopped in front of him. She could feel her hands trembling as she tried to unpin her heart. She winced after accidentally pricking her own finger, tensing when two soft hands cupped her own. She glanced up at Jellal, whose blush was just as strong as hers. Still, he didn't let his embarrassment affect him as much as she apparently had. _

"_Ask for help when you need it. You said that, right?" He offered a meek smile before unpinning her heart, taking it into his own hands. Erza could almost feel the steam coming from her cheeks, mumbling a quiet 'thank you' to him. She moved to leave, but stopped when she felt a warm hand on her wrist. Confused, Erza tilted her head at the strange look he gave her. Though Jellal was very poised and mature normally, his shifting between feet and increased breathing was a different look for him. _

"_Jellal?"_

"_I think I owe you a do-over on that lunch. I'd ask you if you had plans for Valentine's Day, but I've already volunteered at the Red Cross tomorrow." Erza's blush suddenly sprouted at the mention of Valentine's Day. He wanted to be her Valentine?! _

"_Th-that's okay. Responsibility comes first," she mumbled, knowing her heart begged to differ. She planned to make some excuse to leave, but the hand on her wrist refused to let go. _

"_So I was wondering if you'd be my Valentine at dinner tonight, instead."_

"Erza?" She jumped at her name, turning to swing at whoever felt comfortable enough to enter her personal space. Her fist stopped mere inches from Jellal's face, when his quick reflexes caught her fist in his palm. She gasped as he froze, both shocked at the scene that went down.

"Jellal!" She was quick to pull her hand away, the blue-haired man shaking his hand to relieve the pain. Torn between running away and smashing her head into the wall, Erza quickly moved to his side and looked at his hand. "I'm terribly sorry."

"I shouldn't have surprised you like that," he answered, curling his fingers once to confirm the pain was gone. He glanced over to her after, clearing his throat while giving her a quiet nod. "You look very nice."

"Th-thank you!" She said, the two awkwardly silent after the compliment. Nervously Erza pushed her hair behind her ear, glancing to her feet. The two of them had known each other for years, and had worked on the same committees countless of times. She was quite fond of his friends, and her friends got along pretty nicely with Jellal on the rare occasions they met. But this night was a whole new chapter for them. She swallowed slightly, unsure of how to proceed with conversation while they walked toward the restaurant.

"I should honestly be thanking you." His late response to her previous statement made her pause in their walking, slightly confused. Jellal looked out at the night sky, a calm look in his features. He glanced to her from the corner of his eye, and then spoke. "If you hadn't talked to me the way you had earlier, I would have never had the push to ask you to dinner tonight."

"I wasn't trying to be preachy!" She replied instantly, but calmed herself when realizing he wasn't accusing her. "But I'm happy that my words got through to you. Ultear and Meredy seemed quite concerned about your well-being."

"They've seen me at my worst and best, so I understand their concern." She hesitated at the dismal tone to his voice. She knew that Jellal's perception of himself was still low, despite the many followers he now had in the theater group. His smile was tinged with sadness that tugged at Erza's heart. Wanting to help, the red-head stepped forward and grasped one of his hands within hers.

"I'd like to get to know the Jellal they've seen," She mumbled softly, watching his eyes partially widen at her bold statement. "I'd like to stand by your side, as well."

"Why?" He asked, as if nobody should want to be in the position. Still, she felt his fingers intertwine with hers, proving he wanted her there.

"Because I like the man I've seen so far. And I know that, despite the demons and problems you try to hide, your heart is in the right place." She placed their locked hands over his heart, feeling the erratic heartbeat pound against her skin. He looked down at the connection, the furrowing of his brows showing he wasn't quite convinced.

"I could be completely different than you think," he mumbled, Erza nodding once.

"But I won't know until you let me in, Jellal."

"Why try so hard with someone as confusing as myself?" He asked, Erza's reply coming without thinking.

"Because our hearts chose each other…a-as valentines, of co-course!" She added the latter part when realizing how intimate her previous statement was. He seemed shocked as well, but he got over his embarrassment far quicker than the love-handicapped Erza. A wave of relief poured over him, like her words released him from something that held him captive for years.

"Do you mean that?" She glanced up at him at his question, hesitating to answer.

"I don't believe in lying. You should express how you feel openly and honestly." She squeaked when he stepped into her personal space, his lips barely whispering over hers.

"Then please don't hit me again." Erza's mouth parted to say something, but her voice was lost in the gentle kiss that Jellal placed against her lips. Eyes wide in paralyzing fear, Erza could only stare when Jellal pulled away with a nervous smile. She blinked once, and then a second time before what actually happened struck her.

It was Jellal's turn to be stunned when the president tossed her arms around his neck, returning the kiss with one of her own. He didn't let the moment pass, wrapping his arms around her slim waist and kissing back. He held her to him, her heels dropping off her feet. She didn't care, refusing to break the kiss for anything less than the apocalypse.

So lost in their moment, they missed their dinner reservations. They ended up at a local diner, dressed up to eat cheeseburgers and chicken wings. They didn't care, both realizing the real treat was the company they shared. They talked late into the night, Jellal walking Erza home to a clear night of stars. Erza had lost her shoes hours before, holding them in one hand and Jellal's hand in the other. If her feet hurt, she didn't seem to mind. She was really too lost in the quirk of Jellal's lip or the soft look in his eye.

And both were too distracted to notice the giggling bushes beside them.

"You think he's going to have sex with her?" At Meredy's question, Ultear rolled her eyes and sighed.

"I'd like to think he's a little classier than that."

"But they've loved each other for so long! And after every story I've ever read, they admit they like each other then head to the bedroom." Just what type of stories was she reading? She'd have to go through Meredy's stash and veto some of these smutty novels. Ultear pressed her hand to her temple, glancing to the couple walking along the path.

"Just be happy they're holding hands."

"They are?! Oh, look at them! Our little Jelly is growing up." Meredy's happy tone made Ultear laugh, hoping that the two never discovered them spying. She had wanted to leave the happy couple alone, but she was nervous they would somehow screw it up. Since Erza nearly knocked Jellal out two seconds into the date, Ultear's fears weren't completely crazy. But now, seeing the two of them together, Ultear came up with a final conclusion.

"They're going to make it. All the way, probably." Meredy was quick to nod, her eyes never leaving Erza and Jellal.

"Yeah with little Erzas and Jellals running around…he'll be happy. We did really good, Ultear." Meredy watched the happy couple on their walk, giggling when Erza leaned against Jellal's arm. The older girl smiled softly, now looking up at the sky above them. She blinked back a set of tears when seeing a shooting star, placing her hand to her heart.

_I hope I'm making you proud, mom._

**Chapter three is a wrap! I hope that you enjoy the other couple's stories. I always seem to write GaLe so smutty =) Now normally here I'd say something about the next chapter, but instead I'm going to announce that I have a Tumblr now! Come be my friend! **

_**User name: NavyBlueWings**_

**Come find me, and spread the word. The more people, the better! **

**Chapter Four:**** Crash into Me**


	4. Crash Into Me

**I have returned like the pheonix from the ashes! Er, or, you know, writer's block. But STILL, the fourth chapter is here and I hope that you enjoy it! I'll be updating "The Astrologist" right after this too, so please enjoy both chapters! **

**Disclaimer:**** I own the outfits? No, wait, way too girly for me...**

**Chapter Four:**** Crash Into Me**

This wasn't a dream. Lucy Heartfilia paced in her room while she checked her reflection one more time. She wasn't quite sure what she should wear, because Natsu hadn't explained where he was taking her on their date. Lucy instantly blushed at the memory of their interaction the day before. The sensual touches, the deep voice, and their almost kiss. They had kissed once before, yet Lucy had a feeling that this time around wouldn't end so abruptly. Or at just kissing. She smoothed out the skirt of her purple dress, tugging at the lace shoulders. She wore comfortable black flats, Lucy fixing the purple bow wrapped around her side ponytail. She turned to the side, checking out her silhouette before sending herself a confident grin. She looked good!

She glanced at her cell phone, realizing if she didn't hurry she would be late. Not that it would matter, since Natsu was rarely on time. For a split second, worry flashed in Lucy's eyes. What if Natsu had changed his mind? Would he really stand her up on Valentine's Day? She swallowed, and tried to calm her dropping stomach by pressing her hands over the brown belt around her waist. There was no way Natsu would do that to her. He may not have been the brightest guy, but Lucy knew Natsu was reliable. Whenever he said he was going to do something, he did it. The conviction Natsu had was something Lucy had admired from the first day she met him.

Glancing once more at her outfit, Lucy left her room. She jogged down her stairs through her hallway, then paused at the note left on the coffee table near the door. Her eyes softened when recognizing the familiar scene. Her father would be gone all night, as he was every Valentine's Day. Though he claimed it was because he stayed late for work, Lucy knew the truth. She had stumbled upon his routine by accident last year, when she discovered a receipt the day after Valentine's. Before Layla had passed, her father would buy her flowers and her favorite scented candle. Layla had told Lucy that when they first started dating, that was all Jude could afford to get her. With the money they now had, he could have bought her diamonds or gold. But Lucy's mother never wanted those things; she loved flowers and candles more. So it became a tradition, the one time of year Lucy ever saw her father be romantic. Maybe that was why she loved the holiday despite the commercialization.

After her mother died, Lucy was sure that part of him went with her to the grave. But when the receipt only had two specific items, Lucy knew why her father stayed at 'work' so late. He visited her mother's grave every year, with a bouquet of roses and a vanilla scented candle. The day after the candle would be completely burnt out, meaning his visit lasted all night. Lucy was sure it was the only day of the year her father visited her mother's grave.

"Tell her I miss her, dad," Lucy whispered, running her fingers over the note. She smiled before she moved past the coffee table, opening the door to a familiar face. "N-Natsu?"

"Hey." Natsu seemed so uncomfortable, standing in the doorway of her house. His hands were shoved in his jeans, with half his face buried in his scarf and eyes downcast. He wore a black jacket, which she knew wasn't something he owned before today. Lucy had been through his closet several times, and this was never in it. She felt her cheeks pinken at the thought that Natsu bought a new jacket for their date. She shouldn't have been surprised; she had just gone on a shopping spree with Juvia that morning. After the two met up for breakfast and to reconcile (the tension disappeared as soon as Lucy announced her date with Natsu), Lucy asked if she knew what she was wearing for her date with Gray. The emotional girl's panic attack was quick to follow, and Lucy offered to help her pick out an outfit. It gave her the perfect excuse to shop for herself, as well.

"What are you doing here? Weren't we supposed to meet at seven?"She felt herself smile when Natsu finally glanced up at her, his face reddening. She could tell he was taking in her outfit, Lucy trying not to squirm at the once-over. His eyes lingered on her legs, which were bare after her thighs. The February night was cold, but Lucy had sacrificed warmth for style. And from the way Natsu was looking at her, she knew it was worth it. Trying to sound casual, Lucy leaned against the doorframe of her door and spoke. "Natsu?"

"Oh." Her voice seemed to snap Natsu out of his awkward daze, Natsu sending Lucy his signature smile. "I had to do an errand before we met up, and I figured I'd just come here. Good thing I did too, cause the snow at our place would have ruined your shoes."

"Because you're oh so worried about my flats." She rolled her eyes but smiled, turning to grab her white coat from the hanger. Though her legs would be scarcely covered, the fleece North Face would keep her warm through the night.

"Hey, I know fashion. Just look at me; hot merchandise here." She did had to admit that Natsu had a way with pulling off anything he wore. Maybe it was his pink hair? But she wasn't planning on letting him know that anytime soon. Instead of answering him, she changed the subject.

"So you do know how to use the front door."

"When needed." At his casual tone, Lucy glanced to him with an arched eyebrow.

"And tonight was a needed situation?"

"Definitely."

"And why is that?" She asked, her voice teasing him.

"I want you to invite me in tonight." She wasn't sure what caused the warmth to spread in her stomach; the suggestive statement or the heated look he gave her mouth afterwards. For a second, the man she had encountered in the empty classroom came out again. She swallowed and tried to get her brain to think of a witty remark, but Natsu was already moving onto another conversation. "We better get going; I told them we'd be there by seven."

"We?" She slowly shrugged her jacket on, grabbing her keys as she shut the door behind them. Tugging at the zipper, Lucy hesitated to speak. "Are people...coming with us?"

"What? No way! It's a-" He stopped, Lucy instantly knowing what word he was stalling at. How did he switch personas so fast? Where had the self-assured, sexy guy that just made a pass at her go? Feeling self-conscious, Lucy coughed and looked away from him.

"Natsu?"

"...It's just us, remember?" He seemed to fumble over his words while the two walked down the path toward his car. She could feel his nervousness, which was making it harder to hide her own.

"Of course I remember! I just...I didn't..." She trailed off, and Natsu didn't try to pick up the conversation again. The two walked in silence, worrying Lucy more than she wanted to admit. He had opened her door, but no words were exchanged. Even when he pulled onto the main road, silence was wedged between them. For all the years she had known Natsu, Lucy never felt tension or forced to come up with conversation. Whether it was three hours on the phone or five minutes between classes, the two never ran out of things to say. It was the best part of their friendship; how easy it was to just be herself with him. It was why she fell in love with him to begin with. No matter where her thoughts went, she knew Natsu would follow. He didn't always agree; the two had argued over several things before. Lucy and Natsu could do that, because they knew at the end of the day they were still best friends.

Did her confession change that? She glanced over to him, his eyes focusing on the road in front of them. Not once since they had left her house had Natsu looked at her. Normally his reckless driving drove Lucy up the wall. He would play with the radio, look at whoever was in the car, or even try driving with his knees instead of hands. Natsu was not someone who followed the rules of the road. And if Gray happened to be in the car? Their fights caused Natsu to speed like crazy! Though she feared for her life any time she got into a car with him, it was never a dull experience. But this Natsu had both hands on the wheel, eyes forward. And did she mention the lack of words being exchanged?

Lucy wanted to come up with something to talk about, but her brain seemed to shut down. She frowned, then turned her eyes to stare at the glove compartment in front of her. She bit her glossed lip, wondering if she had messed everything up between them. They hadn't really talked the entire day, but she had assumed that was cause they were both busy getting ready for the night. Now she was starting the re-think that. And that wasn't the only thing she was starting to doubt. She had thought she would be okay with his rejection when she admitted her feelings. Even if he didn't love her, she was sure Natsu wouldn't just ditch their friendship, When he had reacted in a positive way toward her confession, Lucy thought everything could only get better. But losing her friendship with Natsu?

This wasn't worth it.

"Natsu?"

"Yeah?"

"We don't have to this." Lucy's voice was so soft, she wasn't sure he was going to hear her. When she didn't get a response, Lucy slowly glanced to the driver. He hadn't lost the concentrated look on his face.

"It's really not much further."

"That's not what I meant. I meant..." Feeling an overwhelming sense of sadness, Lucy ducked her head back down. "I appreciate you trying because of what happened yesterday, but I don't want to lose our friendship because of my feelings for you."

"What?" The genuine sound of confusion in Natsu's voice was followed by the slowing of the car. Lucy glanced up, surprised to see that Natsu had pulled to the side of the road. She glanced to him in concern, waving toward the sign on the street.

"Natsu, it says no parking!"

"What were you just rambling about?" He turned to face her in his seat, placing his hands on either shoulder to turn her as well.

"I just...it's nothing! Really, don't worry," she said, trying to turn away from him. His hold stayed on her shoulders, and Lucy quickly looked to her lap to avoid his stare. Her hands balled up in her dress, some of her insecurities slipping past her lips. "It was dumb of me to tell you so close to Valentine's Day. How awkward would it have been if you didn't ask me out, right? You're too nice to hurt someone you care about like that."

"Do you really think that's why I'm taking you out? Because I don't want to hurt you?" Natsu's voice was soft, but Lucy knew he wasn't going to just let this go. The dress was bunched in her hands now, Lucy meekly nodding at his question. She heard his sigh, and her eyes widened when she was yanked over the center console into a hug. "I didn't ask you out because of some obligation, Luce."

"You didn't?" She whispered, instantly wrapping her arms around his neck. He chuckled into her neck, tightening his hold on her.

"I asked you to come with me tonight because I couldn't think of anyone else I'd want to spend it with." He slowly pulled back, but only enough to look at the blushing girl in his passenger seat. "Do you remember the night on the hill?"

"There were so many nights there..." she whispered, her cheeks darkening when one memory popped into her head. "Do you mean the one where you were complaining about Gajeel and Levy?"

"I mean the one where I kissed you." She closed her eyes when Natsu pushed some strands behind her ear, feeling his forehead pressed to her own. "I think...we both felt something that night."

"You felt something?" She asked, holding back a smile when he nodded their heads together.

"But we never really talked about it, you know? So I figured maybe I was just imagining things. I tried to forget about it, and for a while I guess it worked. Until yesterday; when I saw Gray. Knowing that someone else had your heart...I've never really seen you with another guy. Guess that was all it took for me to realize how into you I really was."

"Was that why you were so mad?"

"I thought I was too late," Natsu mumbled, catching her gaze with his own. "Then you told me you loved me and...I knew I couldn't wait any longer. So I just...used Valentine's Day as an excuse."

"So why have you been so awkward?" Natsu blinked once at Lucy's accusation, then tilted his head.

"When?"

"In the car? On the walk to the car? During the whole car ride? You barely said a word." He still seemed confused, but suddenly a light appeared in his eyes.

"I was trying to remember the directions to the restaurant. I've never been; I got the name from a friend that works there. But I didn't write them down, and so I've been repeating them in my head all night. It's hard enough to do when you're looking like that." He gave Lucy a once over, showing her earlier theory was right.

"Seriously? That was why you weren't talking? How hard is it to remember directions?" Lucy smacked his shoulder, Natsu laughing while he pretended to fend off her attacks.

"Well it's completely pointless now, since it's past seven. I hope you're happy; it took a few favors to get that reservation." Lucy smiled apologetically, though her laughter was bubbling from her lips. Natsu groaned as he pressed head to the steering wheel, keeping his hand on her arm. "How am I supposed to be the perfect date if you just go and mess it all up?"

"I'm sorry, that wasn't my intention. I guess my mind gets a little..."

"Melo-dramatic?" At his teasing, Lucy pouted. He simply laughed, enjoying the wrinkle her nose got when annoyed with him. Lucy lost her scowl when Natsu pulled back onto the road, making a complete u-turn.

"Now where are you going?" He grinned at her curiosity, grabbing her hand within his.

"Well, a romantic dinner is out the window. So I'm improvising." Lucy felt herself warm when their fingers laced together, resting on the middle console.

"What does that mean?"

"Well, I remember passing by one of my favorite places as a kid. I'm surprised it's still even open!" The excitement in Natsu's voice made Lucy smile, leaning back in the passenger seat. Most girls would probably be upset about the lack of dinner, or the loss of romance. Lucy was just happy with the warmth of the hand resting in her own. The talk they had wasn't what romance movies would consider perfect, but that was okay with her. Just knowing that Natsu did have feelings for her made her entire night. The rest of the date was just bonus points. They could have ended up at a run down diner, and Lucy would have still considered this Valentine's Day a win.

"And where exactly would that be?" That didn't mean she had lost her curiosity as to where he was driving her to. Natsu sent her a familiar grin, then tilted his head to his right.

"Look out your window and see for yourself." Lucy turned in her seat, surprised to see the neon lights flashing through the air.

"Go carts?" Lucy had never heard of the place. It was probably because it was at the edge of town, and she never really had a reason to come down the dead end road. Natsu parked in the mostly empty parking lot, grinning over to his confused date. "You've never talked about this place before."

"Back when we were younger, Gray and I used to come here whenever we saved up enough money from our summer jobs."

"You two must have been the cutest little go-kart drivers." He grinned at her compliment, nodding.

"I was for sure! Ice princess didn't know a thing about racing; I smoked him every time!" He must have caught the doubtful look on Lucy's face, because Natsu quickly amended his statement. "Okay, so he may have won once or twice. But that's it!"

"Why did you guys stop coming?" Natsu shrugged, glancing to the wheel in front of him.

"Maybe because we got our own cars, so driving those things didn't sound as cool. Instead we started spending more time in Fairy Tail and doing sports. We did come here once in high school, after I met you. For old times sake, you know? We even got Erza and Cana to come along. They would never come when we were younger, cause they used to complain we fought too much to hang out with us in public."

"Well glad to see some things never change." She giggled at his proud smile, knowing Gray and Natsu's friendship would always hold a good amount of rivalry.

"The people who worked here teased us, saying we were taking them out for our 'first dates'. I couldn't tell who was more embarrassed, Erza or Gray. Both of their faces lit up like tomatoes! Those two were such weirdos. Still are, though I would advise not telling Erza that. Last time I did, she...let's not talk about that." Natsu shivered in his seat, making Lucy laugh. He popped his door open, making it around the car in record time. Lucy blinked at the offered hand, then shrugged before letting Natsu help her out of the car. He continued to hold her hand as they walked toward the entrance, Lucy looking down at her outfit and scowling.

"Do you really think this is a good idea with what I'm wearing?" He looked back at her, pressing his thumb to his lips in deep thought. Lucy tugged a little at the dress fabric, emphasizing how light it was.

"You're not going commando, right?" At his blunt question, Lucy flushed and smacked his forehead.

"No, you idiot! What girl wears a dress with nothing underneath it?!"

"Then I don't get why you're worried."

"Because I don't make it a point to show everyone my underwear! I'll have you know I-" Her shouting was cut off when he yanked her to him, his strong arm wrapping around her back. She stiffened when his nose trailed up the side of her neck, hot breath scorching the skin there.

"Who _does_ get to see your underwear, Luce?" His mummer was teasing, making Lucy's breath catch. Though she knew she was blushing, Lucy couldn't pull away from his warm body. Despite the heat there, Lucy felt herself shiver against him. How did he just switch the sex appeal on so effortlessly? Her muddled mind was slightly cleared when she felt his laugh against her neck, making Lucy pout. He was laughing at her! Did he know how much he affected her all this time? Refusing to let him get the best of her again, Lucy pushed her embarrassment down to slip her fingertips against the back of his neck. His back tensed at the unexpected touch, and she felt the swallow slide down his neck. With her confidence momentarily rising, Lucy leaned up on tip-toes to whisper in his ear.

"A lady doesn't show and tell." He closed his eyes for a moment, enjoying how her breath curled around his ear. His hand slid down her back, fingers barely brushing the swell of her butt. The daring touch was rewarded with her breath hitching, Natsu knowing he gained slight control of their game.

"But I've told you everything about me." He made sure his lips brushed her neck, intoxicated by the hot atmosphere between them. Lucy may have been the one to open the door to their new relationship, but Natsu had blown it off its hinges. Feeling like he had lost his chance with Lucy was heart-stopping. He wasn't going to ever let his confusion for his best friend stall him again. He knew exactly where he wanted Lucy in his life. And that was beside him, forever. As his best friend, his girlfriend, and whatever else she was willing to give him.

Which, from the way her hands were grasping at his biceps, was a lot.

"You never told me what the bet was, between you and Gray." Instantly his hand paused on her back, Natsu hesitating. He pulled her closer to him, savoring the feel of her chest against his.

"That was a bet; it's different." She hummed at his explanation, letting her hands crawl around to his shoulder blades.

"Then shall we make our own bet?" Lucy took the opportunity to shove against his chest, causing her friend to stumble back into a shrub. She burst out laughing when her stunned date ended up sitting in foliage, seeming unsure how he got there. She pointed down at him, eyes lit with dangerous thoughts. "If I beat you in go-karts, you'll tell me what the bet was with Gray."

"You won't win." He declared loudly, Lucy waving his declaration away. His arms crossed, showing his defiance."Besides, why would I agree to this? I don't get anything out of it!"

"But you will." Deciding to take the teasing to a new level, Lucy let her feisty fingertips tease the hem of her dress, Natsu's eyes widening in shock. The fabric was slow to lift, but Natsu couldn't take his eyes away from the newly exposed skin. "If you win..."

"Lucy," he growled out, hands fisting in the dirt. A quick scan of the deserted parking lot assured him he was the only one given the privilege of seeing the bare thigh now exposed to him. His muscles tightened with every inch, coiling against the urge rising deep in his stomach. The flash of pink lace made Natsu see white-hot desire, his whole body twitching in restraint. As soon as the panties peeked out, Lucy dropped the dress back to it's original spot.

She sent him a wink before rushing into the safety of the building, knowing the feral look Natsu had given her. Normally, it was reserved for a piece of meat he wanted to devour. Just thinking of that made her ears pinked, her heartbeat erratic from their dangerous game. She mentally scolded herself for the behavior, but felt her confidence return when remembering Natsu was the one who started this. Point one for Lucy. She jumped when the door swung open, the cool air from the outside sneaking in. Her eyes met Natsu, who didn't hesitate to stand beside her.

"This place looks just like it used to! Man, I'm really fired up." He sent her a normal grin, Lucy blinking in surprise at the change. Did that mean that he _didn't _want to take her deal? She coughed when she realized he was waiting for her response, the two walking toward the cashier.

"Hopefully they've kept up with their equipment."

"The guy who used to run it was really into keeping everything as new as he could." Natsu turned to the girl running the register, asking for six rides on the go-karts. He paid for her, meaning that he stilled considered this a date. Natsu handed over three of the tickets while they walked toward the track, which was huge in size. Though it was indoors, it seemed the owner didn't hesitate to make the race track something to attract the masses. She assumed it would normally be full of kids, if not for this particular holiday.

They got a brief overview of the running of the karts, and they got to pick their own vehicle. Lucy chose a pink kart, while Natsu went for red. She had just finished buckling herself in when she felt a tap on her shoulder. She peeked back at Natsu, whose grin had grown wide with excitement.

"After this, want to head to your house? I'd like to collect my winnings." She gasped when he smirked, Lucy quickly turning her head at the sound of the countdown. She looked up at the flashing lights, trying to quell her blush. But it was hard when Natsu made his intentions so clear.

By the end of the night, Natsu _was_ going to see the rest of those panties.

* * *

Juvia had been just as clueless about her date as Lucy. It didn't help that Juvia had only been on one date before. When she was in middle school, Juvia never talked to boys. Many of them were scared of her, or thought she was weird. It was the reputation you got whenever people found out you were an orphan. Juvia didn't mind her lack of parents, finding her foster father extremely endearing. He worked as a local blacksmith, and made sure that Juvia never went a day without what she needed. It wasn't just essentials either; Metalicana talked to her. He asked about her day, helped with the homework he could understand, and tried to raise her as well as he could. She was very grateful to him, and promised one day to repay his kindness.

She tried to start by befriending Metalicana's son, Gajeel. Gajeel Redfox was just like his father, which was why the two butted heads so much. They loved each other, undoubtedly, but never could manage to show it in normal fashion. While Metalicana was soft with her, he teased Gajeel mercilessly. Their dinner conversation mostly entailed insults and wise jokes, but there was little malice behind their bravado. In the end, the two would die for one another, and Juvia knew it.

Standing by Gajeel's side did little to help with Juvia's popularity in middle school. Between his piercings and sex drive, Gajeel had not made the best of impressions. Most saw him as dangerous or disgusting, depending on who you talked to. The fact they went to a private school only increased the judgmental behavior. Because of their differing last names, most didn't know that they lived under the same roof. Juvia was much quieter than her foster brother, but her association with him put her on the 'weird' scale.

High school had saved her from her years of loneliness. Befriending Lucy in her first class freshman year was a blessing in disguise. Little was known about Juvia because of her integration into public school. They had been paired up as science partners, and there they formed a friendship. Juvia was surprised at how quickly Lucy made friends, fitting into Natsu's group quite easily. Lucy did not forget her new friend, and the group didn't oppose to Juvia's presence. In fact, they welcomed her much easier than any of her middle school companions. Juvia was not seen as strange, probably because the group wasn't exactly normal. Though she found Natsu's 'do it' attitude uplifting, and Erza's determination inspiring, Juvia's attention was caught by a quieter person in the group.

Gray Fullbuster hadn't said much to her for the first few weeks of freshman year. He seemed much more introverted than his outspoken friends. It wasn't to say he never spoke; Natsu picked fights with him more times than Juvia could count. But Gray would catch her eye without doing much, and the shy girl wasn't quite sure why. She always caught herself blushing when he threw off his clothes, a habit that he exhibited more often than not. Juvia had wanted to talk to him as casually as the others did, but she felt herself get tongue-tied whenever she tried. Instead she sat silently by Lucy, hoping that the dark-haired man would approach her first.

It wasn't until she stood up for Gajeel, begging the group to let him into their group, that Gray spoke to her. It was after school, the group meeting in the lunch room as they normally did. Juvia had noticed Gajeel sitting alone at a table across the room, and realized he had yet to make any friends. Though Gajeel claimed he enjoyed his solitude, Juvia wanted her foster brother to use the change of school as a new beginning. She mustered up the courage to ask the group to let Gajeel come over and get to know group was wary at first; his infamous reputation surpassed the private school barriers. It was only when Juvia told them Gajeel was her brother that Lucy had sympathized with the girl, convincing the rest of the group of give Gajeel a chance. Once the group agreed, Juvia took on the task of dragging Gajeel to her friends. He was resistant the entire time, and the beginning of the introductions were awkward. Levy seemed scared of him, and Gajeel had made sure to let his snarky nature be known.

The afternoon was saved when Gajeel mentioned their martial arts practice, a topic that piqued the interest of both Erza and Natsu. By the time the group was exchanging goodbyes, Gajeel had ended up with a list of everyone's numbers, and an open invitation to Natsu's judo class. Juvia was so proud of her efforts, she didn't realize that Gajeel had sulked away and left her alone in the cafeteria. Well, almost. She didn't notice Gray's presence until he cleared his throat, the shy girl instantly feeling out of place with him. All of her excuses to leave were stalled in her throat, so she stood still with her eyes trained on the floor.

Then, her life changed forever.

_I like people who stand up for their family. Don't lose that spirit, Juvia. _It was two sentences, and a gentle hand on her head, that made Juvia fall in love with Gray. She knew it was stupid, to fall for someone so easily. But it was the first time that someone had said they liked her. The cool touch he gave her that day made her heart melt like nothing before. He had disappeared without a response from her, not realizing the effect he had made. Juvia had come back to school the next day a changed woman, taking a seat next to Gray as if it was where she was meant to be. Where a shy girl once sat, Juvia's confidence in her love for Gray broke her introverted shell. She became loud, lively, and devoted in her quest to show Gray how much spirt she had.

All of her embarrassment and rejection was worth it. She had finally gotten her chance.

"What the hell are you doing, woman?" Juvia squeaked as she toppled over the side of her bed, the pillow she had been hugging flopping to the floor. She glared up at the pierced man in her doorway, cheeks red with embarrassment.

"Juvia has told Gajeel to knock before entering!"

"Why, was I interrupting something?" Juvia felt herself flush at being caught, choosing to remain silent. Gajeel chuckled before walking in, snagging her under each arm and pulling her up. "And up you go." Making her seem weightless, he haphazardly dropped her into the middle of the bed. Once satisfied she wouldn't fall off, he moved to sit in the computer chair across the room.

"Does Gajeel need something?" Juvia asked, knowing she shouldn't be as impressed with his strength as she was. Gajeel had always been a strong kid, picking her up countless of times. Even as she grew older, he always surpassed her in height and strength. They took martial arts together since they were young. While Juvia's speed and form was the top of their class, Gajeel was the opponent to beat. It was rare that Juvia got the upper hand on him, yet he never used that power on her in their sibling rivalries. While she watched other older brothers pick on their younger sisters throughout the years, Gajeel never sought pleasure in her pain.

He kicked his feet up on her desk, glancing to his foster sister with a smirk.

"Daydreaming again?" Juvia sighed at Gajeel's question, glancing to the clock. She had a little time before her date, though she was far from ready.

"Yes. Juvia must have been dropped on her head as a baby; she's been told plenty of times." Her quiet mumble made Gajeel scowl, tossing an eraser from the desk at Juvia's forehead. The girl blinked in surprise, looking up at Gajeel.

"Jesus, get some confidence won't you? We haven't been in that middle school for four years, and you're still letting what they said get to you? You ought to know now you're pretty kick ass." Instantly her spirits lifted at his statement.

"Does Gajeel really think so?" He rolled her eyes as he grabbed a pencil, twirling it around his fingers.

"You're related to me, which makes you cool automatically. You're trained in martial arts, and you're a beast in swimming. You've taken first place in the butterfly multiple times and are undefeated in the 400 meter medley. You won at nationals as a sophomore. Not to mention you've got two guys fighting over you for Valentine's Day. Neither one of them compare to me, but we're technically siblings so-"

"Two?" Juvia asked, confused at his statement. Gajeel sighed loudly, as if she should already know the answer.

"That Lyon guy got into a fight with Gray this morning at practice." Juvia knew what team Gajeel was referring to. Natsu and Gray only talked about it any chance they could. The two, as well as Lyon Vastia, were part of the high school basketball team. Gajeel wanted nothing to do with the game, but his father "convinced" him to partake in a team sport. He was extremely good, whenever he felt like playing. Juvia had see him smoke teams without much of a sweat, but Gajeel was more interested in the design of Levy's bra than getting scholarships for college.

"There was practice on Valentine's Day?" Juvia asked, Gajeel nodding once while trying to balance the pencil on his nose.

"Yup, I guess Gildarts doesn't seem to care much about the stupid holida-hey!"

"Juvia needs to know what happened!" In an instant she was at Gajeel's side, shaking him by the shoulders. She nearly knocked him out of the computer chair, Gajeel planting his feet on the ground to keep himself upright.

"I'll tell you once you stop shaking me!" He barked out, Juvia instantly releasing him. He muttered something incoherent under his breath before he sighed, rubbing his right temple. "We were taking a break while coach called his daughter, something about disapproving of her choice in men. Natsu asked the guys about their plans for the night, way too excited about bringing bunny girl out to some fancy restaurant. Gray wasn't really saying much, minding his own business the same way I was planning to do, when Lyon said he planned to surprise you tonight. I didn't really catch most of it, but he intended to get you all dolled up and stuff. He had it all planned out in his head, but the idiot didn't even think to see if you already had plans."

"Gray-sama's supposed to be taking Juvia out tonight," she replied.

"Well yeah, that's when Gray stepped into the conversation. Claimed that he had already asked you, which explains your creepily cheery mood all day," Gajeel said, earning a smack with the pillow on the floor. He snatched the weapon from Juvia, sending her a warning glare. "If you want me to finish the story, stop interrupting!"

"Sorry." But from her clipped tone, he knew she didn't mean it. Deciding it was better to continue the story than call her out, Gajeel spoke again.

"Lyon made some sort of comment to Gray, claiming that he shouldn't play around with your feelings. That you needed someone to 'truly love' you, because _that_'s plausible in high school." He stopped himself at the cynical statement, a sideways smirk appearing at his own inside joke. "Well, I guess it can happen occasionally."

"Gajeel!" Juvia was trying to be patient, but it was not one of her strong suits. Especially when it came to Gray.

"Gray said that you were fine, but Lyon kept pressing it. Claimed that he could treat you like a real woman. I think then he made a comment about Gray's lack of effort, and how you were going to eventually get tired of waiting for him to grow up."

"Juvia has never said that! Juvia will wait for Gray-sama no matter what happens! Juvia loves Gray-sama." Gajeel gave her a look of annoyance, but seemed to hold back to continue his story.

"Gray said something along the same lines, with way less 'sama' and 'love'. Then Lyon said, and I quote-" Gajeel cleared his throat, raising the octave and enforcing a pompous accent. "What are you going to do, take her to dinner? Already done that, Fullbuster. She'll compare us the whole time. You could just send her another dirty voicemail; it's the only thing you're good at." Juvia stared in horror at the statement, knowing exactly what Lyon was referring to.

It was no secret that Juvia had gone out with Lyon on a date Junior year. Really, to her it wasn't as life changing as she had hoped her first date would be. Then again, it wasn't with Gray. Lyon had taken her to dinner, and he had pulled out all the stops to win her heart. She had to admit he was quite handsome, and at times during the night she wondered how he'd fair as a boyfriend. The two had been leaving the restaurant when Juvia checked her phone, surprised to see a missed call and voicemail from Gray. It was rare for him to leave voicemails, so Juvia wasted no time listening to it.

_Yo. Why don't you wanna talk to me? Is it because you're with that...asshole, Lyon? We both know you want it to be me. _

She knew he was drunk; Juvia could tell the second she heard his voice. It didn't make her any less entranced by his words. Juvia remembered Lyon claiming he wasn't an asshole, but Juvia's attention to the sultry voice on the phone made her forget her date could hear Gray's drunk message.

_Juvi, Juvi, Juviaaa...God I want you. Your body is amazing, and those legs... I want to touch them, kiss them, spread them. And make you call my name. You turn me on when you call my name. I'd have you scream it so many times, in so many positions. I'll pleasure you with every touch and lick, until you're just a puddle on my bed. _

At this point, Juvia's face was on fire, and the aforementioned body parts were pressing tightly under her skirt. Who knew Gray had such a vivid imagination? Even with a slurred voice, Gray's intentions were blunt and enough to make a prostitute blush. Juvia felt light headed just thinking about his suggestions! But it was the last part of the message that really made Juvia's heart stop.

_You're the best thing that's ever happened to me, Juvia. Don't you know that? Every time I'm around you, I feel so warm. And one day, I'll make you mine. Just wait for me, okay? _

That message was still in her phone to this day. She listened to it any time she got discouraged about her chances with Gray. The first part was jealousy, and she chalked the second part up to drunken horniness. He had apologized about both of those sections, admitting how inappropriate they had been. But his last few comments were always on Juvia's mind. It didn't help that he never mentioned them again. She took that as a sign of hope, instead of dismay.

She didn't bring the voicemail up around Gray, because she knew he was embarrassed by the message. The group found out from Natsu, whose selective drunk memory had retained Gray waking him up to tell him about the message he left Juvia. Erza demanded silence from the group about the situation, knowing how embarrassing it was for Gray to relive. Juvia never played the message around her friends, and barely spoke about it to the girls. In her haste to quell Gray's embarrassment, Juvia had forgotten to tell the others one major detail.

Lyon knew some of the contents of the voicemail.

"What did Gray-sama say?" She asked quietly, feeling guilty for putting him in that position.

"Well...technically nothing. He just punched Lyon in the face. The two got into an all out brawl. I have to admit that Gray can really do some damage given the right incentive. Then Natsu joined in. Not to win you or anything, just because he likes fighting way too much. I tried to break them up, until one of them hit me in the face. So I decided I'd use some force, like my fist in Natsu's face and my foot in Lyon's stomach. Then Gildarts came in, and made us all do suicides for the rest of practice. I had to soak in the tub for over an hour, stupid prick."

Juvia had tuned out Gajeel's complaining, unsure of what to do next. It wasn't her intention to let Lyon hear the message. She also had meant to tell Gray that Lyon was there when she checked her voicemail, Lyon hearing the dirtier parts of the message. The details just kind of fell to the wayside when Natsu announced he remembered the entire thing. She had been so concerned about keeping Natsu quiet, that Lyon slipped out of her mind. But now, nearly a year later, the cat was out of the bag. Juvia paced the floor in her room, her anxiety now soaring. What would Gray say to her about it? Would he think she told Lyon on purpose? Would he be mad at her for not telling him? No matter what route Juvia thought of, she knew that Gray was not going to be happy with her.

The panicked girl jumped when the doorbell rang, Juvia's eyes shooting back to her clock. Time seemed to accelerate without her knowledge, and she knew it was Gray at her door. She looked down at herself, realizing she wasn't ready to see Gray yet.

"Gajeel needs to get the door and talk to Gray-sama while Juvia finishes getting ready!" Gajeel sent her an arched eyebrow, then crossed his arms over his chest.

"And why the heck would I entertain your date? No offence, but he's not my type." Juvia ignored his snippy comment as she ran into her bathroom, yanking the outfit Lucy had chosen for Juvia to wear for the night. It was simple, a black turtle neck with a royal blue skirt. Though Juvia thought it was more sensible to wear pants, Lucy begged her to wear the skirt. When she asked why, Juvia was stunned into silence at Lucy's mischievous reply.

_"You've got amazing legs, Juvia. Don't let Gray's cool demeanor fool you; he loves when you show them off!" _

Too embarrassed to deny her claim, Juvia bought the skirt along with knee-high black boots. She had paired the outfit with sheer black tights, black snowflakes scattered along the fabric. Several times she had made her worry about the cold known to Lucy, but the blond continued to tell her the outfit was a good idea. Juvia glanced up at her hair, which she hurriedly pulled into a ponytail. Two chunks of hair framed her face, running her fingers through her bangs once to fluff them. Make-up was never her forte, and Juvia knew it would take far too long to apply now. Instead, she sprayed herself once with perfume before she rushed out of her room.

"Gray-sama!" Juvia's happy calling of the man's name caused him to turn away from Gajeel, Juvia nearly stumbling down the stairs in excitement. He wore a casual blue button up with tan pants, a black undershirt apparent from the three buttons he had already undone. Juvia was careful on the rest of the stairs, not wanting to ruin the night with a sprained ankle.

"Yo." His casual greeting showed no appreciation of her outfit, but Juvia was happy regardless. Gray had actually shown up for their date! She sent him a bright smile, Gray glancing away to conclude his conversation with Gajeel. "See you at practice Monday."

"Whatever." Gajeel brushed past Gray, Juvia squeaking when Gajeel ruffled Juvia's bangs in his passing. "Just have her home before midnight. I should be back from Levy's house by then, so I'll know if you aren't."

"You're taking on a parental role now?" Gray asked, Gajeel glancing back at them with a grin.

"Metalicana told me to set a curfew, since he's gone for the weekend. I figured midnight ain't bad. Don't worry, you've got plenty of time to get your rocks off."

"Gajeel!" Juvia shouted, cheeks puffing at the man retreating from the room. His snickering could be heard even after he left, Juvia nervously glancing to Gray. Her date had one hand rubbing his forehead, the other balled up on his hip.

"Is that all that guy thinks about?" Gray mumbled, his cheeks visibly flushed from the previous conversation. Juvia quickly bowed, hands clasped in front of her.

"Please forgive Juvia's brother. Juvia knows Gray-sama isn't motivated by sexual desires for Juvia. If it ends up down that road, Juvia will happily accept, but Juvia is content with anything Gray-sama wants to do with her."

"Don't say it like that!" She lifted her head at his exclamation, Gray's face redder than before. Gray was looking out the window, his embarrassment quite evident.

"Juvia is sorry, did she say something wrong?" He shook his head and sighed, reaching forward to grab her hand.

"Never mind; let's go." Juvia followed his lead, enjoying to feel of her fingers intertwined with his. He led her to his car, and Juvia could barely contain her excitement. She was really on a _date _with Gray Fullbuster! She tried to keep her emotions in check throughout the drive, bringing up conversation to keep any awkward silences from happening. They talked about school work, their grade averages, and ended on the holiday break coming up.

"Juvia has a swim competition during the vacation." Gray nodded at Juvia's statement, glancing up at the clouds starting to form over them.

"Lucy said something to me about that the other day. She's getting the group together to cheer you on." Juvia quickly waved her hands in front of her, shaking her head.

"Juvia doesn't need that! She knows her friends are very busy with their own activities." He rolled his eyes at her dismissal, then sent her a shrug.

"As long as it doesn't fall on one of my games, I don't mind."

"Then Juvia will do the same. Juvia will come to a game of-"

"No." She tensed at his harsh cutoff, Juvia hesitating before she spoke.

"But Gray-sama just said-"

"We're here." Gray cut her off again, before pushing himself out of the car. Juvia swallowed at the cold shoulder Gray had suddenly given her. Had she done something wrong? She didn't have much time to think about it, a cool breeze hitting her side when Gray opened her door. She moved out of the car, unsure of what to say. Part of her wanted to continue the conversation, but his quick shut downs proved he didn't want to go down that road. Instead, she silently watched Gray, hoping he would take the lead. When he said nothing, Juvia glanced around at their surroundings.

"Oh, wow." Juvia was surprised to see the waves of the beach crashing against the sandy shore. She walked toward the knee high stone wall that separated the area of parking from the actual beach. It was a little bit of a drop to get to the sand, but it made for a lovely place to sit without getting sandy. She glanced back at Gray, who was staring at the sky. "Why did Gray-sama choose the beach?"

"You talk about the ocean a lot. I think you used to say you came here when you wanted to relax or think." He shrugged, his eyes never drifting from the grey clouds above them. "I thought it'd be a good place for us to just talk."

"Juvia loves the beach," she whispered, amazed that he listened to her pointless rambling. It made her feel warm, like Gray tried to keep things she talked about in his memory. She knew she did. Her date glanced to the left, a cloud of smoke escaping his mouth when he sighed.

"I probably should have checked the weather."

"Huh?" A white speck fell between them, followed by another. Focusing on the beach, Juvia was shocked to see the flutter of snow falling around them. The sky was filled with clouds, which dumped the snow over the expanse of the beach Gray was staring at. She held out a hand, watching the snow melt against her pale palm. Despite his grumpy tone, Juvia felt her lips spread in a smile. "Snow..."

"I figured a dinner was too cliché, and a movie wouldn't really give us time to talk." Gray walked forward, hands shoved in his pants. His scowl only increased when a snowflake landed on his nose, eyes crossing to look at the melting drop. "I had packed some blankets in case the cold bothered you, but now it's snowing. I thought since it snowed yesterday it wouldn't today. But my luck seems to be running thin since I woke up this morning."

"Juvia enjoys the snow," she replied quickly, hopeful her positive tone would help erase his frown. He glanced back at her, the upset look signaling to Juvia that something was still off. She walked back toward him, holding her hand out in offering. "Juvia is thankful Gray-sama took so much time thinking about their date. We can still walk the beach, if Gray-sama wants."

"I should have just taken you to dinner, like...You'll probably get sick if we stay out here. You're not dressed to stay outside for long." She looked down to her legs, which were already shaking from the lack of warmth. Too enamored by the snow, she hadn't noticed how little the tights did to protect her from the cold. Why had she listened to Lucy? Feeling guilty, Juvia tugged at the skirt and frowned.

"Juvia is sorry, she should have dressed differently," she mumbled quietly, pushing the free strands of hair behind her ear. His face looked pain as he shook his head, taking a step closer to her.

"No, Juvia you look great. Beautiful, I promise." She felt her heart stall at his compliment, yet she couldn't wipe away the feeling of responsibility she had. Some of her discomfort must have shown on her face, because Gray cursed before walking away from her. He dropped to sit on the wall lining the beach, head lowered enough for his hair to cover his face. He cursed again under his breath, his mumble barely audible. In fact, from the content, Juvia was sure she wasn't supposed to hear it. "Should have just ignored that asshole and taken her to dinner."

"Is Gray-sama talking about the fight he had with Lyon this morning?" Juvia's inquiry had Gray's shoulders tensing, making her hesitate to continue. "Gajeel...told Juvia."

"This is just getting better by the minute," he muttered miserably, hands now laying limply between his knees. Juvia looked at the snow, which had increased throughout their conversation. By now, some of the snow had piled onto his shoulders, dampening his shirt.

"Gray-sama, your shirt..." When he didn't respond to her, Juvia took action. She moved to the car without a second thought, looking for the blankets that Gray had packed. Once found, she hurried back to his side and draped one over his shoulders. She crouched in front of him, trying to adjust the blanket evenly on his shoulders. She gasped when he grabbed her hand, looking back to his lowered head.

"Sorry." She shook her head at the apology, refusing to accept it.

"Juvia should apologize. She never told Gray-sama about Lyon knowing about the voicemail; Juvia is sorry." He scoffed at that, making Juvia frown.

"Lyon's just jealous he doesn't have the balls to do that." His crude language made Juvia squeak, Gray ignoring the noise to continue. "I'm not upset about him hearing the voicemail. It's just... I asked you on a date, because I wanted to spend time with you. Not as some pointless competition with him. But I'm so worried about you comparing it to Lyon's that I keep messing it up." She felt his hand squeeze hers, Juvia hesitantly reaching forward to cup his cheek. She still couldn't see his face, but the strained skin of his scowl proved how tight he was clenching his teeth.

"It doesn't matter where or what Gray-sama chooses to do tonight. Juvia will love it," she whispered, resting her chin over his head. She closed her eyes when snow fell on her cheek, continuing. "Juvia simply loves spending time by Gray-sama's side."

"Why?" She pulled back quickly, dropping to her knees to relieve her cramping leg muscles. She knew that the ground was wet, and would dirty her tights. For the moment, she didn't care. All her attention was focused on him.

"Because Juvia loves Gray-sama." Her response was so simple, Gray laughed. He looked down at her innocent facial expression, as if the explanation solved every question he had. In her mind, it probably did. His smile was small as he reached forward, brushing the blue hair out of Juvia's face.

"I know you love me, Juvia. I meant, why did you choose me instead of someone else? Like that Lyon bastard." Even saying his name caused a bitter taste to fill Gray's mouth. He scoffed, his voice lowering as he continued. "At least he can set up a proper date. At least he tells you how he feels-"

"That's not how love works!" He blinked at her sudden shout, the serious look she sported taking Gray by surprise. It was rare that Juvia raised her voice, and it had never been directed his way. "Love isn't a choice. Love isn't determined by who deserves it and who doesn't. Love is a feeling Juvia gets when seeing Gray-sama's smile. When seeing him laugh, when seeing him happy. Juvia cannot control who she loves, and even if Juvia could, Juvia would pick Gray-sama! Because Gray-sama is a kind, gentle man. Because Juvia loves Gray-sama for everything he is and isn't."

"You see me with rose-colored glasses, Juvia." She smiled at his response, knowing the red hue on his face was caused by her words.

"That, Gray-sama, is what love does." They fell silent, Juvia's words resting comfortably between them. The snow was falling steady now, but Juvia didn't mind. Instead, she closed her eyes, enjoying the waves in the background. Gray had been right; the ocean relaxed her. The beach was a very romantic spot for Gray to choose, even if he didn't see it. A close walk in the snow, holding her lover's hand and snuggling close to him for warmth? Being the only souls on the sandy shores, enjoying the natural beauty of the beach? It was perfect, for Juvia. Anything, really, was perfect for Juvia if it involved Gray putting it together.

She was about to tell him that, too, when a soft pressure was placed against her lips. Her eyes opened in shock, though Gray's were shut while he deepened the kiss. Warmth that had eluded her body from the cold snow quickly rose at the gentle touch of his hand to her cheek. Scared to lose her opportunity, Juvia squeezed her eyes shut before hesitantly returning the kiss. Though she had hoped for a kiss, Juvia was extremely unsure of her abilities. This was her first, after all!

Gray seemed quite talented with his mouth. He expertly guided her head to tilt, increasing the depth of their kiss. After a few lingering moments, Juvia felt Gray pull away to catch his breath. It wasn't for long, and Juvia felt her toes curl when he kissed her again. The soft touches were warming Juvia from the inside out. His taste was delicious and uniquely Gray. Juvia leaned closer to him, hands now resting against his chest. Their exchanged kisses were gentle, but still left Juvia breathless. His thumb caressed her cheek with each swipe of his tongue, the caring gesture melting Juvia. She remembered Lucy talking about the passionate kiss she had exchanged with Natsu one summer night. Levy never used the word 'soft' when it came to Gajeel. But Gray's lips weren't demanding; they treasured the kiss in a way that Juvia never imagined. And when Gray finally ended their moment, Juvia felt herself fall even deeper for him.

She slowly opened one of her eyes, then both when seeing the Gray's smile. Though she adored his side smiles and cocky smirks, the full teeth grin he was now giving her left her breathless. It was a look that Juvia wasn't sure she'd ever see; Gray truly happy. Just seeing it made Juvia's spirits lift. She wanted to take a picture of it, but his next sentence made her mind blank.

"Was that your first kiss?" Her face lit up at his question, Juvia quickly covering her cheeks with her hands.

"It was obvious?"

"Not in a bad way-"

"Juvia is sorry! Juvia should have practiced or looked up how to kiss-" Gray rolled his eyes at her panicked response, but his smile never wavered. He pushed up on his feet, dragging Juvia along with him. She ended up leaning against his chest, but for once, Gray didn't mind. In fact, all of his frustration and embarrassment from earlier seemed to evaporate. She seemed to notice his change, because she tilted her head in concern. "Gray-sama?"

"Let's go grab some take-out; we can rent a movie and go hang out at my house. I have you until midnight, right?" She blinked at his suggestion, then instantly nodded her head with a smile.

"Of course!" Her happy tone was honest, and Gray now realized the truth. Lyon may have taken her out to dinner first; his date altogether may have been planned perfectly compared to Gray's. But in the end, Juvia loved him. It was unconditional, and didn't depend on the materialistic things. She only had eyes for him. And, if he was being honest with himself, his eyes hadn't strayed from Juvia for a while. She clung to his arm while they walked back to the car, a pep in her step that was quite noticeable. Gray rolled his eyes, pretending the reaction annoyed him.

Maybe his feelings weren't so different from hers, after all.

**A lovely little ending for Gruvia. I hope that you enjoyed the comedy and romance, because I'm turning up the heat in the next chapter! Who will win the bet? Just what did Gray and Natsu bet? Could it change everything between the group? And who else would like a dirty little voicemail left by Gray? I'd still pick Natsu, but...eh, beggers can't be choosers.**

**Chapter Five: Winning; a Double Edged Sword?**


	5. Winning A Double Edged Sword?

**Hello! It's been quite some time, but I do have an update for you! And not only an update, but the finale of the story! So hold on to your seats, folks, cause you'll finally get the answers you've been looking for. Oh, and read the end for some fun news!**

**Warning: ****LEMON LEMON LEMON -puckers lips- and it's quite sour!**

**Disclaimer:****-reads Fairy Tail special chapter- I...I don't own Fairy Tail...I don't even know what to think right now...O.O**

**Chapter Five: Winning; a Double Edged Sword?**

The first race that they had was an epic defeat. Lucy had barely been able to drive her go-kart, which was completely different than her normal car. Natsu had done laps around her, while Lucy managed to crash into each barrier that was put up to keep them on course. At one point, she even went backwards! The worker who helped get her kart back on track barely hid his laughter, making Lucy blush. She got the hang of it toward the end of the run, but Natsu was already waiting for her on the finish line with a giant grin. She had finished the round three minutes after him. If it wasn't so dead, they probably wouldn't have even let her go around the last time. Mentally, she swore off go-karts for the rest of her life.

Well, after she won this bet of course.

The second race, Lucy managed to catch a break. On the last lap of the course, Natsu got his cart stuck on a turn he took too sharply. Lucy had been trailing behind him for most of it, but she had kept him in sight. Her slow and steady method seemed to benefit her, and Lucy made sure to wave as she passed the stuck kart. Natsu managed to get it out with a few tries, but at that point Lucy was already in the clear. His technical mess-up was her ticket to a second round victory, Lucy feeling the third round was hers to win. The two best friends were tied, and Lucy felt her hands tighten on the wheel as they lined up for the last match.

Part of her wondered why she was trying so hard. She knew that Natsu was the guy she wanted to be with. After their little talk in the car, he made it pretty evident that he wanted to go the distance with her too. Their sexual desire from the parking lot said a lot about their physical chemistry. Natsu, throughout the years of high school, had tried to use her body to get things he wanted. Whether it was an extra slice of pizza at lunch, more time on a test, or an excuse to get out of a detention, Natsu always offered her body as his first method of persuasion. Though it was very embarrassing, it gave Lucy the hint that Natsu thought she was hot. Not only hot, but probably more sexually appealing than the other girls they hung out with. He never suggested Juvia (whose legs were the talk of every swim meet) or Mirajane (the senior that won every male's attention on the rare days she wore a mini skirt). It was always Lucy.

Lucy managed to keep the pace that Natsu was driving at, even while she weighed the pros and cons of letting Natsu win. Though she was scared to rush their relationship, she wasn't sure this would be considered fast-paced. They had both been silently watching the other for years. Not to mention that Lucy knew almost everything there was to know about Natsu. Sure, the bet was still burning in the back of her head, but was it worth it to win? She was never the kind to hold grudges or be super competitive. She left that to the boys. So her pride really wouldn't be hurt if she lost this to Natsu.

The real problem was the consequences of her win. She didn't specify what he would win, but if definitely involved the showing of her panties. She could always find a loop hole; she was quite smart. Words weren't Natsu's specialty, so if she wanted to, she could trip him up that way. Natsu would probably complain about it, but she knew that he wouldn't press her. He wasn't the first to pull out a chair for a girl and he had let his fair share of doors hit her in the face. But Natsu wasn't a heathen, either. He would never push her into doing something that made her feel uncomfortable. So the ball really was in her court. Even if she did lose, nothing would go past the line if she didn't desire him. Or, if she wanted to think of it a different way, she could push the envelope as far as she wanted. And what she wanted...

"Yes!" Before she knew it, the race was over. Lucy slowed her kart down as she moved over the finish fine, not having to look up at the time to see who had won. She glanced over to her friend, who was practically vibrating in his seat from his excitement. "I won! Nothing can defeat me on the road! I am the king of the go-kart track!"

"And quite humble, too," she replied, rolling her eyes through a smile. The loud cheers of Natsu quickly cut out at her laugh, and Lucy saw a rare look of modesty.

"Just excited, I guess." Natsu had a different tone to his voice, which surprised her. She swore he was going to boast for the rest of the date, but the softer level of his words was a game changer. Part of him seem embarrassed, but he never took his eyes off of her. And in that stare, she saw a flicker of desire directed her way. Her own blush was rising to her cheeks, knowing exactly what he was thinking of. She only broke eye contact when the employee came to her kart, offering to help her get unbuckled. Fearing her own hands were too shaky to do it, she let him undo the restraints. Natsu was getting similar treatment from the other worker, but Lucy could still feel his eyes on her.

"Do you need help up?" She thanked the guy for his extended hand, swinging her leg over the side of the kart.

"Watch your dress, Luce!" Her eyes widened as she glanced down at the garment, which had started to bunch toward the top of her legs. Her free hand quickly slammed on the front of the fabric, pinning it between her thighs to hide any chances of flashing her panties. The employee claimed to seeing nothing, Lucy apologizing several times for the wardrobe malfunction. Inwardly she cursed at Natsu for bringing her here despite her previous fears. Didn't she say her dress was going to cause problems? Now she could barely meet the employee's gaze as they walked out of the building. A burst of cool air hit the two of them, Lucy shivering while pressing closer to Natsu. After getting over the initial cold, Lucy realized the weather had changed.

"Natsu, it's snowing!" The white snow decorated his car, as well as the untouched parking lot. It was coming down steadily, Lucy ignoring her shiver as she ran in front of her quiet friend. Her arms extended as she laughed, twirling in the glow of the parking lot light. The snow stung her cheeks, but it didn't diminish the smile covering her face.

"I hate this type of weather." Lucy paused in her spin, glancing back to Natsu. His hands were shoved in his coat pockets, yanking a familiar scarf up to his cheeks while staring up at the sky.

"I've never heard you complain when it gets you out of school," Lucy teased, placing her hands on her hips. He quickly looked back at her, an exasperated look on his face.

"Because then I don't have to deal with school! It's the lesser of two evils."

"School is not evil; you just make it so much worse for yourself than you need to." He waved her reply away as he went to his backseat, yanking out his snowbrush with a grumble.

"Maybe if they'd just let me eat in class, then I wouldn't be such a pain." Lucy laughed at him, watching the grumpy guy try to brush off his windshield off.

"For someone who just won, you're quite the sour puss." He paused in his cleaning, slowly glancing up at her. A spark of mischief in his smile was her only indication of his next move.

"I guess you're right." She squeaked when he reached out for her, yanking her into his body. Her flats slipped a bit on the snow, Lucy grasping at his shirt to keep herself balanced.

"Natsu," she complained, glaring up at him. He didn't seem affected by her look, Natsu tightening his arm around her waist.

"Help me clean my car off; I want to get to your house quickly." She wasn't sure if her flush was from anger or embarrassment. She went for the prior, smacking his chest. Not wanting to see his response, Lucy turned toward the car and crossed her arms. Despite the cold-shoulder, Lucy kept her back pressed to his chest.

"What kind of date makes their partner clean off their car?"

"An eager one." Natsu didn't want to be as excited for his win as he was. He had really just been teasing Lucy in the parking lot earlier. Though many thought Natsu wasn't the brightest crayon in the box, he did have some instinctual intelligence. He tended to be able to tell when people were affected by something before they said anything. Erza made a certain face before she was about to lay in on him about his grades. Gray's lip twitched before he insulted Natsu. Lucy's nose got a wrinkle when someone really irritated her. These simple things were like guides to Natsu, and he had picked up on several of them throughout the years.

Yesterday, Lucy's physical reaction to his body surprised Natsu. So caught up in Lucy's confession, Natsu hadn't noticed his change in attitude. He probably wouldn't have, either, if not for Lucy's response. Feeling Lucy's body tremble against his had caught his attention. Curious, Natsu had continued to touch Lucy's body in different places. From pressing himself against her, to letting his nose drag down her neck, Lucy's responses entranced him. They were quite interesting. He had to hold back his snicker when he pulled back from her, seeing how lost she seemed from his change of persona.

Their second encounter in the parking lot had resulted in similar results, with one giant surprise. Lucy had teased him back. It had left him surprised, but exhilarated. Having her counter was something Natsu never really expected. It urged him on, despite the physical problems it caused. Lucy's fingers playing with the back of his neck sent shivers straight into his groin, something that rarely happened. He found Lucy very attractive, but Natsu was not a slave to his libido. Well, he hadn't been, until he had seen the peek under Lucy's dress.

One of the things that both Gajeel and Gray had always teased Natsu about was how little action he had gotten when he had seen Lucy naked quite a few times. Really, he never meant to! Sometimes she just forgot to close her door when she was showering, and he didn't bother to knock when coming in her room. That got him more than a few slaps in the face. Other times, it would be circumstantial, like Lucy forgetting to tuck her shirt in when trying to do cartwheels. More than once her bikini top had fallen off when he threw her into the pool. Still, despite these random acts of nudity, Natsu never looked more than a second before turning his attention somewhere else. It was respect for his best friend, as well as the best way to keep himself from getting aroused. But when Lucy had lifted the hem of her dress, Natsu couldn't pull his eyes away. Lucy willingly letting him see her naked skin was more sexual than any accidental walk in.

The flash of pink panties had been on his mind throughout the rest of the night. It was the cause of his crash in the second lap, though he would never admit it. Part of him felt perverted for focusing on it, while another side reasoned that if it was Lucy, it was okay. He wanted to be with her, and only her. That included sexually.

"Na-Natsu..." The shiver in Lucy's voice made Natsu smirk, brushing his lips against the back of her ear. The soft touches accomplished Natsu's task of teasing her, learning quickly which spots affected his date more. Lucy's breath hitched, and a hand grasped the arm around her waist tightly. He felt himself smile at her touch, happy that she wasn't pushing him away. A shiver wracked through him when her hips tilted her ass back into his hips. Natsu pulled himself away from Lucy, though he really had no interest in putting space between them. If he hadn't, he was positive they weren't going to move from that parking lot for a while. That wasn't how he wanted this night to end.

"Let's get the car cleaned off." His normal voice was hard to control, but it was worth it when Lucy sent him a shocked look. He snickered to himself while he resumed cleaning the car. She may have gotten a point from earlier, but he just tied it up with ease. Natsu took peeks at her while he pushed the snow off his windows, seeing her cheeks were still dark from his earlier embrace. With the soft glow of the streetlight, and the snowy background, Lucy looked beautiful. Her eyes were always full of life, something that had first attracted Natsu to the fiery girl. The blond hair framed her rosy cheeks, her lips full and tempting to many more people than she knew.

But there was more to her than just her looks. He saw her for everything she was. Lucy could be manipulative and lazy, as he had been a victim to both sides of her. Her temper wasn't always hidden, and she never shied away from something that could make her some extra money. And yet, Lucy's intelligence and kind heart always tugged at his soul. The beauty of her laugh or the passion she held for the things she loved rocked him to the core. She was his best friend, not because she could deal with his highs and lows, but because she was everything good in the world. He wasn't sure if he would have turned out the same if Lucy hadn't been in his life. Honestly, he didn't want to know a world without her ever again.

Natsu and Lucy weren't talking as much on the ride home, but Lucy was sure it was nerves. Unlike last time, Lucy could feel Natsu continually glance her way throughout the drive. She kept her own gaze out the window, admiring the snowy scenery. She really did love this time of year. The cold could be a disadvantage, but Natsu's body always kept her warm. It wasn't the only time that Lucy relied on Natsu, either. No matter the weather, season, or situation, Lucy always enjoyed having Natsu by her side. He was her protector when people tried to push her around. A shoulder to cry on when her mother's death came back to haunt her. Someone she could count on for a good laugh, but also a friend that wouldn't be afraid to tell her the truth. No matter the circumstances, Natsu never let Lucy deal with things on her own. Was that what made her fall in love with him? She smiled at her own thoughts, a warmth building in her chest at the idea.

"Seems like the snow has stopped." Lucy pushed her door open while Natsu cut the engine, glancing up at the cloudy night sky. Though the moon was still covered, the storm seemed to dissipate.

"That's good; any more snow and I would worry about my dad's health," Lucy replied, sending Natsu a smile. The two sauntered up the walkway together, Lucy glancing through her set of keys. "Last year it rained all night, and my dad was sick for three days after. It seems not even the weather can tell my dad what to do."

"Your old man is quite stubborn."

"Coming from you, that's probably a compliment." He stuck his tongue out at her while she laughed, the two pushing into the warm house. She shrugged off her coat to hang it up, glancing over to him. Though he had been in her house more times than she could count, his tense shoulders told her that he felt unnaturally uncomfortable. She gave him a moment to relax by yanking her flats off, tossing them toward the corner of the hallway. "You want to hang your coat up here? You can leave your shoes near the welcome mat, too."

"Huh? Uh, yeah sure!" He smiled her way, but she could tell that he wasn't completely committed to it. She glanced toward the kitchen when he followed her instructions, remembering their ruined plans from earlier.

"Since we didn't get dinner, would you like me to make you something? I am quite handy with a pan and a-" She stopped her self-praise when she looked back to Natsu, the serious expression in his eyes catching her off guard. He rarely looked that way unless he was about to fight someone at school. She could see the fire in his eyes, but it wasn't from anger.

"Maybe later," he mumbled, taking a small step toward her. Instantly Lucy knew where his mind had travelled, but she felt her mouth moving regardless.

"Then what would you like to do, Natsu?" The way his name rolled off her tongue made him shiver, his earlier nerves disappearing when her eyes glanced down his body. Though this was uncharted territory for both of them, Natsu wasn't sexually inept. Sex didn't control his brain, but even he had his moments of curiosity. He assumed that the porn he explored was exaggerated and staged. Still, it gave him a weak starting point.

He also knew Lucy wasn't lily white in the slightest. She was a virgin, yeah. But it didn't make her innocent. One day, he had snagged one of the books that Erza, Levy, and Lucy exchanged. Lucy protested when he tried to read it at her house, and it quickly learned why. Their detailed descriptions of sex made him blush and quickly leave Lucy's house before she noticed his physical reactions. He was also pretty sure that Lucy had explored her own desires throughout the past few years, as well. There were times when Lucy took longer to reply to his texts when she was home alone. Whenever he questioned it, Lucy always made up an excuse that never quite satisfied his curiosity.

"Can we go up to your room?" Normally, the question wouldn't make Lucy blush or Natsu's breath shaky. They had hung out in Lucy's room plenty of times, even when her father wasn't home. Hell, he had snuck into her room in the middle of the night! Of course, most of those nights were correlated to Lucy's depression, so sex wasn't the first thing on his mind. Now it was a loaded question, and both knew it. Lucy's eyes didn't stray from Natsu's, and the young man quietly waited for an answer. He tried not to show his impatience. He never did well in silence, normally shifting around or causing noise of some sort. But here, he knew neither were an option. Lucy had to make the first move before he could let go of his restraint.

Lucy gave him a faint smile before she snagged his hand, her body sliding to press against his.

"A bet's a bet, right?" She whispered, Natsu's eyes widening at her hushed tone. She started to walk up the stairs toward her room, Natsu hesitantly trailing behind her.

"Luce, about the bet-" He tried to get his tongue to work, but he wasn't sure how to say what he needed to. She paused at the top of the stairs, glancing back down at him with concern. His brows furrowed together as he thought over his next sentence, torn between body and mind. He could already feel himself getting aroused as he glanced to her door, knowing what was awaiting him. Despite that, Natsu glanced back to his best friend and squeezed her hand. "Can we..."

"Natsu?" She questioned quietly, Natsu moving up the stairs before she could blink. His arms were around her again, but it wasn't tinted with the sexual tones from before. Instead, Natsu's face was buried into her shoulder, his hand resting against the back of her head. The other pressed to her back, as if afraid she was going to try and pull away. She blushed at the way her heartbeat pounded against her chest, knowing Natsu could probably feel it as well.

"I don't want you to do anything with me because of a bet." His voice was muffled into her shoulder, but Lucy could hear him regardless. "It feels wrong if we're just fooling around because of who drove go-karts better."

"Then do you not-"

"No, I want to!" His quick reply was accompanied by his arms hugging her closer. "But if we do this, I want it to be because you love me, and..."

"And?" She asked quickly, her hands now clutching the back of his shirt. He didn't respond at first. Lucy felt like her lungs were going to burst from the way he was leaving her breathless. Despite that, she refused to breath until he lifted his head to look down at her.

"I want to do this because I love you." His face slowly discarded his serious tone for a smile, as if saying those three words broke something inside of him. His eyes lit up with clarity, his hands quickly coming up to capture her cheeks. "I love you so much, Lucy. You, and only you."

"A-Are you sure? I mean...yesterday you didn't even know-" He shook his head at her insecurity, refusing to let her change his mind.

"If I look at my life in five years, ten years, or even fifty, it's mostly some blank space. I mean, I know I'll probably fight Gray again at some point. And I guess maybe Erza...that's probably not the most impressive thing to say, but it's true! Maybe in the future I can ever beat her. Definitely, I can!" She felt herself smile at his off-topic rambling, tugging his shirt lightly to catch his attention again.

"Natsu," she whispered quietly, feeling his back muscles tense under her hands. The annoyed look from before was gone, his features relaxing.

"I know nothing about the future, which doesn't bother me. I love living in the moment, and planning stuff ain't really my thing, you know? But...if there's one thing I know I have to have in my future...it's you. It's always going to be you. That's what love is, right?" He asked, refusing to move his eyes off Lucy's.

"I-I don't know," she admitted quietly. "This...this is the first time I've ever been in love."

"Do you want to be with me?" She went to answer, but Natsu didn't let her. "And I don't mean just tonight. I mean, I'm sure tonight's going to be pretty awesome, but it's not just about seeing your panties again."

"I-Idiot!" She shouted, but he only gave her an apologetic smile before leaning closer to her.

"It's about this, too." That was the only warning Natsu gave before his lips pressed to Lucy's. For a second, Lucy was sure her heart stopped. Her brain tried to catch up with her body, which was already responding to the gentle sweep of his thumb against her cheek. His kiss was soft, calm, and nothing like Natsu. He took his time kissing her, as if discovering something beautiful for the first time. Her hands trembled in his shirt as she kissed him back, unsure of the health of her heart. Seconds ago it was still, but now it burst with intensity as she felt his tongue gently swipe her lower lip. She parted her lips without question, but Natsu continued his exploration by tracing her upper lip. She was sure that their kiss on the hill was something like this, but it was so new as well. She couldn't explain it, but the warmth filling her chest was _different_. Natsu stepped into her, as if he couldn't be close enough. Lucy didn't mind, happy to stay like this for as long as she could hold her breath.

They parted slowly, neither seeming to want to move more than a few inches from the other. Lucy's eyes fluttered open slowly, wondering when she had shut them.

"I want to do that every night. If I had the chance to do that, for the rest of my life, I would. That's love, right?" She stared at him, realizing that for some reason, he expected her to know the answer. Her lips pulled back into a smile before she laughed so hard, her shoulders shook. Natsu looked shocked at her display of emotion, but Lucy didn't give him a chance to hesitate in his admission.

"How am I supposed to know? I just told you I've only been in love with you! But, if I had to guess..." she moved her arms to wrap around his shoulders, enjoying how his hands felt slipping onto her waist. "Yeah, Natsu. That means you love me."

"So then let's be together." He tilted his head as he thought over his statement, sending her a cheeky smile. "I should rephrase that. Will you go out with me?"

"On one condition." He blinked, not expecting her coy smile. He yelped when she jumped up, instinctively catching her under the thighs straddling his waist. He let out a quick breath, glancing down at the stairs that they were teetering near. If his reflexes had been any slower, Lucy could have really hurt herself. He went to yell at her, but stopped when he felt a set of hot lips pressed to his ear. "You take me to my room, and we spend the night together."

"W-Way to toss our romantic moment in the gutter, pervert." Despite his response, Natsu tilted his head to accommodate her curious lips while walking toward her room. He nudged the door open with his elbow, but stumbled slightly when Lucy sucked on a sensitive part of his ear. She didn't seem to notice the hiccup in his motions, her hands now tugging at the shirt on his shoulders in impatience. He shrugged off the shirt easily, but it got hung up on his biceps. The growl showing his frustration vibrated in his neck, Lucy's lips swiping along the tan skin to try and sooth her upset partner. She wiggled against his hold, succeeding in getting Natsu to release her legs. His arms dropped to his sides, the shirt slipping down to the floor.

She glanced down at his chest, only covered in a black tank top, and let her fingertips explore the newly exposed skin. Lucy knew Natsu was strong, but she had never taken the time to truly admire the lean muscle he had built over his body. His arms felt firm to her touch, and though she never thought muscles were one of her turn ons, she could feel the warmth between her legs heightening with each timid touch. His slanted eyes watched her silently, but he made no move to stop her curiosity. His chest shook with his shaky breathing when she grasped the bottom of his shirt, glancing up at him while biting her lower lip. Her question was clear, despite the lack of words exchanged between them. He easily obliged her, helping her yank the last piece of clothing covering his chest. Though Natsu wasn't as loose with his clothing as Gray, he wasn't afraid to show off what he had.

Lucy only caught a glimpse of Natsu's body before he pulled her back into a kiss. He had lost the timid nature of their first encounter, this kiss resembling Natsu's personality much more. It felt like he was breathing life into the exchange, Lucy's mind melting with every swipe of his tongue against hers. He was passionate, refusing to let her mind catch up with his movements. She grasped his arms to keep herself balanced, but Natsu had other plans for them. A second later she was pressed against her bed, their kiss never dislodging despite their change. Natsu's hands finally made their move, slipping the hem of the dress over her thighs with ease. She pulled her head back from their kiss, her gasp filling the air. She didn't fight his touch, dropping her head to the bed and enjoying the fire his fingertips scorched across the inside of her thighs.

The cold air nipped at her stomach, Lucy realizing that Natsu had urged her hips to rise unconsciously. She glanced down, a sliver of panic hitting her for the first time since they entered the room. His hands instantly froze, as if reading her mind, and left the fabric resting under her breasts to trail back over her stomach. Natsu sunk lower on Lucy's body, glancing up to her when he gave her belly button an affectionate nuzzle. She blushed at the gesture, though she couldn't understand her embarrassment. Natsu placed a soft kiss to her stomach, his nose dragging down to meet the lining of her panties.

"You're so beautiful," he mumbled into the lace, Lucy's breath leaving her in a moan. Her hands fisted into the comforter under her while she watched him with uncertainty. In response he sent her a casual smile, then kissed over the front of her underwear. She yelped at the movement, and the twist of pleasure it caused in her stomach. Natsu rested his hands on her thighs, pulling back to admire her body. The pink panties that had been teasing his mind all night rested on curvy hips, the lack of fabric making his arousal twitch. He had never understood why women wore such seductive underwear until this very moment. Now, seeing his best friend looking so delectable in her skimpy garment, Natsu blessed Victoria for keeping so many secrets. It gave Lucy a mixed look of innocence and seduction that encompassed her body and soul. He loved the way the lace curved to her thighs, and barely covered the warmth that was dampening the front of the undies. It made Natsu's body throb, but he couldn't say he hated the feeling.

The lace was hot, but it had to go.

When Lucy felt his fingers hook under the lining of her panties, she felt her whole body shiver. Some part of her wondered if she should have been fighting his advances, or telling him to slow down. In all her novels, the women felt the desire to try and stop the advances of their lovers. But seeing the pleasure reflected in Natsu's face when finally seeing her body, Lucy didn't feel the need to struggle from his teasing touches. She lifted her hips for a second time, allowing him to yank the skimpy fabric down her smooth legs. She was bare to him, yet she didn't feel vulnerable. Maybe it was because it was Natsu, someone who she trusted with every piece of her. It could be the way he seemed completely blown away by every inch of skin she exposed to him, or how his fingers touched her like she was precious to him. Even when his lips dropped down to kiss the inner part of her thigh, Lucy could only stroke his hair and moan in encouragement.

Natsu tried to keep his cool, despite the strong desire striking his stomach repeatedly. Distracting himself from his _slight _nerves, Natsu peppered Lucy's milky thighs with soft kisses. He felt her fingers combing through his hair, and he took the motion as a positive. He peeked a look back up to Lucy, surprised to see her struggling to yank her dress over her head. It dropped to the ground, leaving her in nothing but the pink bra that matched her discarded panties. His hands grasped her thighs tighter at the new view. Though his body really appreciated the way her bra cupped her breasts, Natsu found himself enamored by her face. He couldn't tear his gaze from her dark eyes or her cheeks flushing with passion.

"I love you." The words came out of his mouth so effortlessly, he wondered how he had never told her before tonight. Instantly she smiled at him, and Natsu returned the gesture with one of his own. "And you're really hot."

"Now whose ruining the moment?" She asked, Natsu snickering before he glanced back down her body.

"Guess I should occupy myself, then." Lucy tensed when Natsu dropped his head down, pressing her lips to the top of her warmth. Skipping the traditional route of foreplay, Natsu allowed his tongue to slide along Lucy's trembling body. Her legs parted further as pleasure coursed through her, Lucy's fingers now tightening on the pink locks below her. Natsu ignored the tug, his fingers parting her enough for his tongue to explore.

By the whimpers above him, and the twitches he could feel in her legs, Natsu knew he was doing something right. His tongue rubbed against her nub slowly, Lucy's body trembling in immediate response. He wasn't the most perverted guy in the world, but Natsu had seen enough to know what he had just discovered. He didn't relent in his movements, Natsu continuing to stroke the bundle of nerves while his girlfriend cried out above him. He dipped his tongue slightly lower, feeling the wetness of her excitement lining her with each teasing touch. He slipped a hand under his chin, easily maneuvering a pair of fingers into her. Instantly her muscled clamped onto the intrusion, making Natsu's body twitch. If she was reacting so eagerly to just his fingers...

"N-Natsu!" Lucy's back arched as she gasped out his name, unable to control her quivering body. With each second that passed, Lucy felt the pressure in her body grow. He was too talented with his tongue; she couldn't stop her hips from pressing closer to him. A slight sting of pain went through her as Natsu introduced his fingers into the situation, but Lucy easily forgot about that with another swipe of his greedy tongue. It felt unlike anything she had ever felt before! When the fingers started to move in sync with his tongue, Lucy couldn't stop herself from chanting his name. Warmth and white-hot pleasure hit ever nerve in her body, and she needed to feel more of him. Every movement he made beneath her was pushing her closer to the edge of her orgasm. Part of her wanted to fight the feeling, to hold onto this moment for as long as she could. But when she felt his tempo pick up, the feeling overwhelmed her.

Natsu felt her body clamp around him, a grin coming to his face when Lucy whimpered his name. If he had known making Lucy orgasm would feel this good, he would have jumped her years ago! Not to mention he could get high off the look etched into her face right now. Natsu tried not to stare at her lips, while now silently parted through her waves of pleasure. Despite his best efforts, he felt his whole body twitch in excitement. He felt his pride surge while he continued his exploration of her lower body, only stopping when she let out a sharp gasp.

"Too much!" She cried out, hands now grasping his shoulders in an effort to stop him. He chuckled as he wiped his face with the back of his arm before crawling back up her body, only pausing to nuzzle his nose into her breasts.

"You're body is so much softer than mine. It's like you're made of pillows or something." Natsu's compliment was muffled into her skin, Lucy sighing through a smile at the childish comparison.

"Will you ever grow up?" Her mumble was answered with him lifting his head, giving her a smirk that quickly reminded her of the wetness between her legs.

"Well-"

"Never mind!" She quickly hit him with her pillow, momentarily stunning her partner. Taking the opportunity, Lucy pushed Natsu onto his back and crawled over him. If he was surprised by the action he didn't show it, Natsu resting his hands on her hips while peering up at her.

"I kind of like this view of you," he said, Lucy feeling his approval from the pulse just under her ass. She didn't hesitate to lift her body, hand trailing between their bodies to rest on the button of his jeans. His teeth clenched together with a hiss, his hands helping hold her hips up while she worked on his zipper.

"Then you'll really like what happens next." Though Lucy sounded sure of herself, it was quite the opposite. She managed to hide her shaking fingers when yanking his jeans and down, but her whole body let out a tremor when her eyes caught sight of his manhood. He was big! She paused at the thought, wondering if her assessment held any water. She had never really seen one this close; she wasn't quite sure what she was looking for.

Hesitantly she swiped her hand along the soft skin, enjoying how quickly it jumped at her touch. Lucy glanced to Natsu, who had his eyes glued on the attention being given his arousal. He was resting on one elbow, the other still clenched around her hip. She turned her gaze back to the task at hand, her fingers fully grasping him with a soft stroke. He shivered under her, but Lucy was sure it wasn't cause he was cold. Her hand started to move with little mental encouragement, Lucy feeling her confidence grow with each groan he produced. It was still a little embarrassing to be touching him like this, but she pushed through it. She was enjoying how his hips squirmed under them, easily pushing into her hand to feel more of her touch. Lucy pressed her free hand to Natsu's chest while she worked on his body, feeling her own arousal start to return. Fingertips slid up the tight skin to rub the head of his cock, feeling his excitement had already started to leak out.

"Shit!" He eagerly arched his hips at the touch, Lucy nearly losing her balance on his thighs. Realizing he enjoyed the touch, Lucy started to rub the tip with her thumb berfore sliding her palm along his base, finding a rhythm after a few awkward strokes.

"Is this good?" She asked quietly, Natsu eagerly nodding his head to show his appreciation. He had given up on holding himself up, his hand clenched in the comforter as he shamelessly thrusted his hips into Lucy's welcoming hand. His chest heaved with the pleasure he was experiencing, knowing that he was going to have to stop her soon. If she continued to tease his body like this, he was going to fall apart before they got to the final act. Though he knew this, Natsu couldn't get the words to come from his throat. Instead, he submerged himself in the way her hands urged his hips to rise, stroking him better than he had ever done to himself.

A particularly good stroke from her soft hand had his eyes shooting open, his hand reaching out to grasp her wrist. She gasped at the touch, fearing her touch had hurt him. She peeked a glanced to Natsu, whose eyes were now fixated on the ceiling above them. His teeth were now worrying his lower lip, making Lucy tilt her head. His body was throbbing in her hand, yet his steel-like grip on her wrist hindered her from helping ease his sexual tension. It seemed like he was thinking about something from the furrowing of his eyebrows. Lucy wanted to ask, yet she felt like she already knew the answer. It was pretty obvious why he didn't want her to finish him off. Though the thought of taking the final step left her emotionally torn, the look on Natsu's face showed way more nerves than she expected he'd have.

When Natsu had gone down on her, he had exhibited no fear. He treated her body like he was a pro, even if she knew that wasn't true. He had played her body like a well practiced instrument. She thought he was going to be even more confident when they had sex. Yet now, with Natsu kicking his final garments of clothes to the end of the bed, it seemed his virgin nerves were finally showing themselves. She wanted to giggle at how cute his cheeks looked when they were flushed, but she knew that wouldn't help ease his erratic heartbeat. He probably had the same amount of 'experience' as she did. Having your first time with someone you loved was probably even more intimidating.

She knew, because she was feeling the same way.

"Natsu." She kept her voice soft, hoping to help the tense air around them. Hesitantly Natsu looked back down at her, Lucy holding a hand out to him. "I'm a little nervous."

"You are?" He asked, Lucy nodding.

"I kind of feel like I'm going to mess up, or something." She pushed some hair behind her ear as she glanced away from him. She could hear him sit up on the bed, closing her eyes when his warm hand ran up her back.

"It's not like I'd really know if you were doing something wrong; I've never really done this either." She nodded, but didn't open her eyes. She could feel his chest pressed to hers, his erection snug against her belly. Though the feeling was a little embarrassing, she made no move to pull away from him. Instead, she leaned into the warm embrace he gave her. "Do you trust me?"

"Of course," she replied, nodding her head against the shoulder she had pressed her forehead into.

"Then there's no reason to be nervous. Even if this is a disaster, I still love you." She felt herself smile at his soft snicker, his arms tightening around her. "But so far, you've really turned me on. I don't think I've ever been this hard before."

"Pervert."

"Yeah, probably," he admitted, his lips pressing to the bare skin of her neck. His fingers now toyed with the back of her bra, his arousal twitching between them. He spoke between his nips against her neck, enjoying her quiet moans of approval. "I can't help it; your body's amazing."

"You're not half bad, either." She laughed when his nip got harder, the bra becoming loose around her when he finally undid it. Lucy was pressed back to the bed, Natsu quick to follow with a soul-stealing kiss. She wiggled out of the straps of the last piece of clothing, letting Natsu throw it across the room. Their kiss was deep, Lucy's moan muffled when Natsu settled his body between her parting legs. His hands cupped her breasts gently, seeming curious in their exploration. They only lingered there for a few moments before slipping down, one resting on her thigh while the other aligned his hardened arousal with her entrance.

The kiss only broke so Natsu could glance at what he was doing, slowly pressing into his best friend as slow as his excitement would allow him. Lucy's hands were grasping at his back, nails digging into the skin when Natsu started to stretch her. Her head instantly tilted upward, grimacing at the slight pain there. It wasn't as painful as she thought it would be, yet it was by no means comfortable. She could feel Natsu's hurried kisses on her breasts, yet she couldn't pull her head back down. The pain increased when he broke through her final barrier, Lucy sure she broke the skin on his back. If he felt it he didn't complain, simply taking the pain to pamper her nipple with attention. And they stayed like that for a few minutes, both unsure how to push forward.

"It's okay." She wasn't sure if it really was, but Lucy wanted to feel the pleasure so many had promised happened after the initial pain. Natsu nodded at her approval, the lean man moving his hips back slowly. Lucy held her breath in anticipated pain, but she wasn't prepared for the mix of pleasure that came with it. Natsu's hips weren't gentle, which she was sure was a mixture of inexperience and build up. Whatever the reason, Lucy couldn't say it bothered her. In fact, she felt her legs parting wider at the delicious pace. Lucy's hands had moved up to grasp his shoulders, the blonde moaning when his hips pushed into hers quicker than before.

"Fuck, I'm really inside you." Natsu's breathless voice sent shivers through her body, Lucy quick to wrap her legs around his unstoppable hips. His hands snuck up her shaking arms, Natsu grabbing her hands and shoving them back onto the bed. He intertwined their fingers, grasping them tightly while panting into her ear. "Do you feel me, Luce? Can you feel us?"

"N-Natsu!" She cried out, unable to stop her back from arching. Feeling the passion of his erratic body movements paired with the amazed tone of his voice was hitting her with strikes of pleasure. She loved the way he kissed her shoulder, as if unable to believe they were really joined. Though their hands were sweating from the rigorous movements, she refused to let his go. Instead, she clung to his grasp while she tried to lift her hips to his. They moved fast, their heavy breathing filling the room. Natsu refused to relent speed or force, leaving Lucy submerged in pleasure. It was their first time; neither expected it to last long. It didn't take away from how amazing the experience was. With his concentration on the way their hips rubbed into each other, Natsu's mouth continued to fill Lucy's ear with loving words.

"Forever, I want this forever. No matter how much we fight, don't forget tonight." She nodded at his words, knowing his heart was being filled with the same undeniable feeling as hers.

"I love you." It was all she could get out before his body shuttered into hers, his muscles tensing. Lucy's own orgasm came when Natsu's hips pounded into hers, riding out his orgasm with her name trembling through his lips. Lucy was unable to hold her own back, and fell into the white abyss with little complaint. Her mind went white for a few seconds, Lucy allowing herself to come back to earth when feeling a pressing weight on her chest. She opened her eyes slowly, realizing it was Natsu's body resting against her. She could feel the sweat sliding between their skin, making her grimace. Nobody told her how sweaty sex could get!

"You're still alive, right?" She glanced up to Natsu in shock, who was giving her a proud smile.

"Don't get too cocky," she answered, slapping his arm and laughing. Natsu snickered himself, then pushed off of Lucy. They both shivered when he pulled out of her, a dull spark hitting Lucy's stomach. Who would have thought that after two orgasms, she'd still be tempted to go again? She glanced to Natsu, who seemed to be thinking the same thing with the quick once over he was giving her body. He seemed to dismiss the idea when he flopped back down on her bed, letting out a loud yawn.

"Do you still have some of my sleep pants here?" She blinked at his question, realizing what he was asking.

"Wait, you're sleeping over?!" He shrugged as she rolled onto his stomach, starting to weakly push down the comforter.

"Why not? Your dad's going to be gone all night and we don't have school tomorrow. Besides..." he lifted up to his elbows, lazily kissing Lucy's cheek. "I'd like to stay with you tonight."

"...Okay," she whispered, feeling herself smile at the idea. She moved to her dresser, pulling out the pants he was asking about before tossing them his way. She had managed to yank on a nightgown before a hand grabbed her wrist, yanking her back toward the bed. She yelped when she was pulled to the mattress, possessive arms quickly circling her. "Natsu-"

"You won't be cold, promise." He burrowed his face into her hair, refusing to give up his new cuddling partner. She sighed loudly in protest, though she didn't pull away. Instead, Lucy yanked up the covers and settled herself into the pillow on her side. Lucy could feel her eyes sagging as soon as her head hit the pillow. It wouldn't be long until she fell asleep. She felt Natsu squirming behind her before finding a comfortable place against her back and settling in. It seemed even Natsu could get tired out from a good round of sex. She closed her eyes completely, falling asleep much easier than she had before.

* * *

Driving into school Monday morning was a little more confusing than Lucy had expected it to be. Then again, Sunday hadn't been quite normal either. When she woke up, she had been surprised to see that Natsu was nowhere to be seen. He had left a note on his side of the bed, explaining that he had some things to do. He explained that he had to get it done before Monday morning, and that he would be busy all day. When she had tried to call him, he didn't answer, worrying her. What if Natsu was having second thoughts? Then again, he had ended the note with a confirmation that he loved her.

Her curiosity was peeked when she got a phone call from Gray, demanding to know where Natsu was. When she told him she didn't know, Gray didn't seem pleased. In fact, he almost seemed frantic. Before she could ask what the problem was, Gray had hung up. What was going on with everyone? She asked her other friends, but Levy and Erza both seemed out of the loop. She couldn't even get a hold of Juvia, which she found strange. She was sure that Juvia would be blowing up her phone to tell her about her date, yet Juvia didn't even send her a text. The whole thing was weird. Even Mira, the girl who seemed to know everything going on in the school, wasn't helpful. The only lead that Lucy could get was Gajeel, who only scoffed when she told him about Natsu and Gray's strange behavior. His noise turned into a full grown snicker when Lucy told him Juvia was also M.I.A

_"You'll find out tomorrow morning." _That was the only thing Gajeel would give her before he hung up. It did little to calm her nerves, and she struggled to sleep that night.

"It's so cold out here!" Lucy whined as she blew into her hands, trying to warm them up. She shut her car door, quickly walking toward the school to get warm. Before she could enter, she noticed a large group of students gathered in front of the school. Realizing this was unlikely a coincidence, Lucy hurried her steps and started to push to the front of the crowd. People let her through quite easily, which only increased her sense that this had something to do with her.

"Who do you think is going to freak out more; Lucy or Gray?" Levy's voice was heard from the front of the group, Lucy pushing through the final set of people. She saw Levy and Gajeel staring up at the school, a smug look on Gajeel's face showing he was enjoying something way more than he should. His eyes were staring at something above him, his grin nearly as big as Natsu's.

"Both will be pretty funny."

"Gajeel!" Levy said, turning to smack him. The turning of her body made Levy catch a glimpse of Lucy, the shorter girl instantly turning to her friend. "Lucy! When did you get here?"

"Just now...what's going on?" Lucy asked.

"Well...remember how Natsu and Gray got the same amount of hearts?" Lucy nodded, Levy slowly pointing up behind her. "Well..."

"Natsu took it upon himself to complete both of their punishments...with some help from Juvia." Lucy glanced up at Gajeel's explanation, her eyes widening in pure shock. There, in front of her, were two huge banners strung up on the top of the school. One, written with red paint, read 'Lucy Heartfilia gets me fired up!' with Natsu's name proudly showing at the bottom. The other was in blue, with feminine hand writing reading 'My heart only melts for Juvia Lockser'. Gray's name was quite legible on the end of the banner, making sure nobody mistook who wrote the sappy quote.

"What...are..." Lucy couldn't find her words as she stared up at the displays, feeling her cheeks darken when she heard some whistles behind her. "How did they do this?!"

"You're going to have to ask them that one," Gajeel said, glancing behind them with a chuckle. "And here comes the man of the hour."

"Good morning, Gray!" Levy tried to sound cheerful when the quiet man stepped in front of them, his eyes instantly looking up to where Lucy's eyes had refused to leave. One of his hands instantly came to his eye, as if seeing the banners gave him an immediate headache. Despite this, she could see the blush starting to spread over his pale cheeks.

"How did I know he was going to rope Juvia into this?" Gray glanced over to Lucy, sending her a side-smile to show she wasn't in this alone. "This is the guy you're choosing to be with...you still have time to back out, you know. Give me the word, and I'll kill the bastard."

"No that's alright. Because..." Lucy felt herself smiling as she laughed, her chest warm despite the cold around her. She looked back up at the banner affectionately, slowly walking away from the crowd to stand under it. She turned back to face the group, cheeks bright with color. Her hands clasped around her lips to make her voice echo. "I love you too, Natsu Dragneel!"

"Lucy!" Lucy gasped when someone jumped down behind her, arms quickly wrapping around her waist to pull her back into the overheated body. Where the heck did he jump from?! She felt the scratchy texture of Natsu's scarf against the back of her neck, lips pressing to her ear. "You like your banner?"

"A little flashy..." she mumbled, feeling his lips pull back into a grin.

"Well, we were drunk when we made the bet." She laughed and turned around to face him, her arms quickly wrapping around his neck.

"Gray knew you loved me before you did," she teased, Natsu pouting while he rolled his eyes.

"Who cares? I know now!"

"Where's your partner in crime, anyways?" Lucy asked, glancing around. Gray had disappeared, making the blond blink. Wasn't he right behind her?

"Gray just dragged her inside. Probably because she was showing him the matching shirt we made for him to wear." Lucy glanced down at Natsu's outfit, laughing at the bright pink color of his shirt. The words 'property of Lucy Heartfilia' was written in red print, and Lucy realized why Natsu had chosen Juvia for his project. Natsu was never good with arts and crafts, while Juvia was a pro. After making so many unique ways to show her love for Gray, it was quite obvious Juvia had gotten handy with an iron and glitter.

"Another part of the bet?" She asked, arching an eyebrow at his sheepish smile.

"We were _really _drunk."

"Please tell me his isn't pink."

"No way, pink's my color. Juvia picked out blue, cause it reminded her of her hair or something." She nodded as the two walked into the school together, hands intertwining as they entered the cafeteria.

"And you really think he's going to wear it?"

"He has to; otherwise he's basically admitting I win." She laughed as the bell rang, signaling the students to start heading to class. Lucy sighed at her boyfriend's over-the-top antics, kissing him gently before she pulled away.

"I've got to get to class."

"Want me to walk you there?" She shook her head, grinning when he sent her a confused look. She let go of his hand, looking over his head a familiar scowl marching toward the two. "Why not?"

"Because-"

"Natsu." The growl made Natsu's shoulder's tense, the wide-eyed guy glancing over his shoulder at the red head. Erza was staring the teenager down, anger pooling around her body in waves. "Did you convince Juvia to break into the school last night to hang those banners up? Banners, which I may remind you, are considered _vandalism?_"

"…see you in history, Luce!" Natsu left a quick kiss on her cheek and bolted out of the lunchroom, Erza right on his heels. Lucy sighed as she watched them run down the hall, Natsu passing Juvia and Gray. The love-struck girl didn't notice Natsu at first, watching Gray tug the shirt on over his now naked torso. Natsu was quick to snag the dazed Juvia's wrist along the way, and it didn't take Juvia long to snap out of her daydream. When realizing Erza was chasing them, the blue haired girl cried out her apologies to her unforgiving pursuer. Gray was left alone in the hall, shaking his head despite the slight smile he wore watching Juvia's fading form.

Lucy sent a silent prayer for her two comrades as she went to class, tossing her bag to the ground as she plopped into her chair. She glanced down to her desk, surprised to find a heart-shaped paper taped to her desk. It looked like an extra from the Steal-A-Heart event, her nickname already written on it. A safety pin and a post-it sat next to it, catching her attention. She glanced to the writing, which resembled the banner with her name on it.

_Here's a do-over for Friday; I'll be sure to get it this time! _ _-Natsu_

Looking back at the heart, Lucy felt herself unable to stop smiling. Yup, she knew it.

Natsu stole her heart, and she never wanted it back.

**The End! I'm so sad this is over! I really enjoyed this little story, and having this one end right around 'The Astrologist' ending, I don't know how to feel! I hope that it was everything that you guys wanted. Which couple did you like the most? Did you expect the bet to end that way? Let me know in a review!**

**OH ALSO! Since these two stories will be ending soon, I wanted to announce that I will be starting some one-shots for a bit, then I have ****TWO ****multi-chapter stories coming out soon! So look out for them. They'll be coming out soon! Let me know if you're interested! **


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